


Restraining Order

by Jessica314



Category: Twilight Series - Stephenie Meyer
Genre: Gen
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2021-01-13
Updated: 2021-01-13
Packaged: 2021-03-18 00:27:09
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 36
Words: 132,539
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/28734180
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Jessica314/pseuds/Jessica314
Summary: When Bella comes home one day bearing signs of abuse, Charlie gets suspicious and begins investigating the Cullens. Takes place in the middle of the summer after Twilight. Canon-divergent AU.
Relationships: Edward Cullen/Bella Swan
Comments: 5
Kudos: 31





	1. Surprise

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> I wrote this years ago but I'm still working on posting all my stories here on AO3... hope you enjoy the story!

Disclaimer: The Twilight Saga and its universe are owned by Stephenie Meyer. No profit is made here and no offense intended.

* * *

**BPOV**

I flipped through the clothes in my closet, humming. I had woken this morning to find Forks awash in sunshine, and I couldn't _wait_ to get outside. I chose a red tank top and white shorts, and in a few minutes I was heading down the stairs, careful to hold onto the rail. I had just gotten my cast off yesterday, and while I was thrilled to see my leg again, it was a bit weak. My knee was shaky on the stairs.

"Mornin', Bells," Charlie said from behind the paper as I entered the kitchen. "How's that leg holding up today?"

"Great. What's the paper say about the weather this week?"

He flipped back to the weather page. "90s and sunny, all week."

"A heat wave? In Forks?"

He got up to clear his breakfast dishes. "We do have sunshine here occasionally, you know. Well, I'm off to work. What are you up to today?"

"I'm going to soak up as much of that sunshine as I can. This leg needs some serious tanning." We both chuckled as I pointed out the color difference between my good leg and the one that had been hiding in a cast for six weeks. "Oh, and later I might have Edward over for a while, if that's okay?"

He scowled. "Isn't he supposed to be on a hunting trip or something?"

"Yeah, but he said they'd get back sometime today. What's wrong?"

Charlie's cheeks flushed a bit and he scratched the back of his head uncomfortably, the way he always did in these awkward dad moments. "It's just… you've seen a awful lot of him lately. A few weeks ago you wanted to break up with him, but now it's like you two are glued together all the time. Why can't you spend some time with some of your other friends?"

I blushed, too. I still felt guilty about how I had treated Charlie when James had been after me. "Well, I _am_ going to the movies with Angela on Friday night. Anyway, I haven't seen Edward in three days. We'll probably just hang out in the backyard, or walk in the woods or something."

He grunted, opening the front door. "Fine. Take it easy on that leg, though." He waved and shut the door behind him. Two seconds later, the phone rang. My heart did a somersault as I ran to get it. Maybe Edward was already home! Unfortunately, in my excitement I forgot about my weak leg. I had almost made it to the phone when my knee buckled and my left shoulder crashed into the counter as I fell. I sighed as I stood, picking up the phone. "Hello?"

Alice's voice squealed out of the receiver. "Good grief, Bella! Did you have to _run_ to get the phone?"

I held up my arm, frowning at the welt that was already raising two inches below my shoulder. "Just another event in the klutz Olympics. Where are you guys?"

"We're just outside of – stop it, Edward! You can talk to her in a minute!"

There was a rustling sound and my heart skipped a beat as the most wonderful voice in the world spoke this time. "Are you all right?"

"I'm fine. I miss you... are you almost home?"

"I miss you too," he said softly. "We're on the 5, just North of Portland. I'll be there in two hours, and I have a surprise for you."

I rolled my eyes. His last "surprise" had been a five-course dinner at a fancy hotel in Seattle, complete with a fashion attack from Alice. "This surprise had better not be anything expensive," I muttered into the phone.

"Well… I may need to spend a few dollars on the lunch part. But no, it's not that kind of surprise, and I promise Alice has nothing to do with it."

"Good. I'll see you in a couple of hours, then. I love you…"

"And I love-" Emmett's booming laugh interrupted him and right before the phone cut off, I heard the crashing sound of vampires wrestling inside a twelve-passenger van.

.

.

.

I decided to tackle some housework while I waited for Edward. I knew that if I sat around in the back yard waiting for him it would feel even longer. This had been the longest we had ever been apart, not counting the first week we had met, and I had missed him terribly. The Cullens had taken a weekend hunting trip over to Idaho, and at first, Edward had refused to go along. But I pointed out that he really hadn't been out on a good hunt with his family in a while, and since I had my appointment yesterday to get my cast off, I would be able to get in some Dad-daughter time with Charlie while he was away. Edward had reluctantly agreed, much to his family's delight.

I was just finishing up the dusting, and was lifting a heavy vase back up onto its shelf when I felt a light touch on my shoulder. I screamed, dropping the vase. There was a flash of white beside me and I looked down to see Edward kneeling on the floor, holding the vase an inch above my foot. "Careful, love," he grinned. "I don't think you'd enjoy wearing a new cast in the heat wave." He stood up and replaced the vase. He looked amazing in his white dress shirt, open over a white tee. His eyes were golden, lighter than I had seen them in weeks.

"Edward!" I threw my arms around him and felt his cold kiss on my forehead.

"I missed you so much," he murmured. He moved his kiss down to my lips, but all too soon pulled away to give me a chance to breathe. Then he sighed, turning me slightly and inspecting the welt on my upper arm. "Have you put ice on it?"

"This? I've gotten worse than this sitting still. Now, about that surprise…"

He smiled. "You'll see."

.

.

.

We were driving on the 101 for a while before I figured it out. I was watching the trees fly by when it finally dawned on me that we had gone this way before. "The meadow?" I guessed.

Edward smiled and picked up my hand, which was already entwined in his, and kissed it. "You got it. I thought we'd celebrate your leg's new freedom by doing a little hiking today."

"Um, I'm not sure I'm ready for hiking, actually." I wasn't even ready to run across the living room, as I had already proved.

"Silly girl, you're not going to be doing the hiking, I am. Well… hiking quickly."

We hadn't been to the meadow since before the James incident. The path was too long and too rough for my wheelchair or crutches, and Edward wouldn't carry me, afraid of my leg getting jarred or smacked with branches.

Fifteen minutes later, I was flying through the forest on Edward's back, alternating between feelings of roller-coaster thrill and nausea. As I felt him slowing down, I opened my eyes and saw the clearing just ahead. He set me down gently, and I looked around in wonder. The meadow was wild in the height of its summer beauty with tall grasses, butterflies darting around, and several species of lilies dotting the edges. I was just about to ask how _lilies_ managed to end up in the middle of the forest, when I noticed that a small portion in the middle of the clearing had been freshly mown. It was spread with a huge red-and-white checkered picnic blanket, complete with straw basket and… guitar case?

"You play guitar, too? Since when?"

"I play a lot of instruments. Come on, it's lunch time for the human." As he stepped out of the trees, his face and arms began sparkling in the sun. The dark edges of the forest were dotted with diamonds, their constellations spinning as he moved. I sighed.

"What is it?"

"Oh, nothing…" _Just feeling insignificant again._ "What's for lunch?"

He had packed me one of those pre-made sandwiches from a fancy grocery store, along with a hard-boiled egg, some fresh fruit, and two cookies. As I began to eat, he pulled his guitar out of the case and began tuning it.

"Um, isn't your guitar a little… small?"

"It's a classical guitar. I also play regular acoustic, electric and electrical bass," he answered breezily.

"Okay, _now_ you're just trying to impress your girlfriend."

He laughed. "Guilty as charged. Is it working?"

"That depends. Banjo?"

He laid back on the blanket and propped the guitar against his knees. I thought he was holding it wrong, but I was tired of sounding foolish. He closed his eyes and began plucking the strings gently. "No, that's Jasper's territory," he said.

"You're kidding. And Rosalie's on saxophone, I suppose?"

He snorted, shaking his head. The music grew louder and a beautiful song arose, filling the meadow. The birdsong that had been all around us hushed as Edward serenaded me, and I lost myself in the song, watching his fingers dance over the strings. As the last notes faded away, I sighed. "That was so beautiful," I whispered. "What is it?"

His brow furrowed and he opened his mouth to answer, and shut it again. He looked up at me for a moment, then gave me a crooked grin. "You'll find out someday," he teased. "But I think you'll recognize the next one." He closed his eyes again, and soon I recognized my lullaby – but this time, with a complex descant dancing eerily around the melody. For the next hour or so, I was floating in a musical dream world, complete with glittering musician. After I had finished eating I laid down on the blanket, snuggling my face up to Edward's right shoulder. As my face touched the bare skin of his neck, I drew back in surprise.

Edward's song hit a sour note as he stopped suddenly. "What?"

"You! You're _warm_."

He picked up his song again. "Our bodies are much like stone or marble in that way. We just pick up the temperature of our environment, and after some time in the summer sun, I suppose we can actually grow warm to the touch."

"Oh, I suppose that makes sense. Does it feel nice?"

"The warmth? I've never thought about it… yes, I suppose it does."

I laid back down, and after a while, my eyelids started to droop. Edward's music faded away to silence, and he wrapped his arms around me, humming as I drifted off to sleep.

.

.

.

I awoke to a prickling pain on the left side of my face, and as soon as my eyes popped open, the sun blinded me. "Ow," I muttered, squinting my eyes shut again.

"Hmm?" Edward murmured beside me. I unwillingly opened my eyes again. It looked like neither of us had moved since I fell asleep, and judging by the blinding sun just past it zenith above us, I had been asleep for at least two hours. I frowned as I noticed again the pain in my face. Now that I was fully awake, I noticed an identical pain just above my right elbow. I looked down at my arm, seeing nothing but Edward's hand resting gently over my elbow, where he had laid it earlier. That was odd… the pain felt like a bad sunburn, but it was coming from the one part of my arm that _wasn't_ in the sun. I pulled the arm up toward me, wincing in pain as Edward's hand fell away. On the spot he had been touching, there was an huge, angry red mark… and next to it, a strange pattern of five long, thin marks, also red.

Edward had obviously seen it too, and sat up abruptly. I hissed in pain as his collar brushed away from my face.

"What is- Bella, look at your face!" His voice was frantic. My hand shot up to touch the sore area. My own fingers felt unusually cool when they touched it. Edward reached up to touch it as well, but his hand froze in the air just before it reached me. He looked down again at the oddly-shaped mark on my elbow, and his face took on a rather sick look, his eyes darkening slightly.

"What? What's wrong?"

His jaw was clenched now, and he slowly lowered his hand without touching my face. "What's wrong? What's wrong is that _I_ did this to you. Look." He picked up his hand again, this time holding it directly over the painful spot on my elbow. He turned his hand around to match the way he had been touching my elbow earlier, hovering an inch above the skin. I drew my breath in sharply; the red marks were _exactly_ the size and shape of his hand, complete with five fingers.

"I don't understand…" I began. I reached out to take his hand with my other, and as soon as I touched his skin, I understood. It was like touching a hot oven. I yanked my hand back away. Did vampires get fevers? "Oh. But, are you okay? You can't get sick, can you?"

He laughed bitterly. "Am I okay? You're the one covered in burns, just from me _touching_ you, and you want to know if I'm okay?" He shook his head, and then looked back at me miserably. "I'm sorry… I didn't mean to snap at you. I'm just… I'm so sorry, I had no idea this could happen, I've never been in the sun with a-"

I held a finger up to his lips to quiet him, but as soon as I touched them, I had to pull away again from the heat. "A human? Don't worry, I'm fine. It just feels like a sunburn, really."

He eyed me suspiciously, and I looked away so he wouldn't see the lie in my eyes. It hurt way more than a sunburn, but I wasn't about to tell _him_ that. He would probably torture himself for weeks about this. Suddenly, I realized that I had another problem.

How was I going to explain this to Charlie?


	2. Aloe and Lies

"Edward, I'm fine. Seriously, it's not that bad."

He was frustratingly silent as he packed his guitar back in its case. As he stood up, his face was a blank mask, and this scared me more than anything. This was exactly how he had looked in the hospital in Phoenix, when I couldn't manage to get him to promise that we would always be together. By the time we had returned to Forks, he had perked up and I hadn't given it too much thought. But now, as I saw his face, the memory hit me like a truck, and a strange feeling tore at my chest. I _had_ to make sure this didn't ruin things.

I walked up to him and took both of his hands, forcing him to stand still. They were hot, but once I got over the shock, it wasn't so bad, and I knew they wouldn't burn me if I didn't hold them too long. "Seriously, you should have seen the sunburn I got in Phoenix last year. Renee was buying aloe lotion in _bulk_ that summer," I said lightly.

"Aloe!" Edward's eyes snapped up to mine and he smiled a bit. "That would help the pain. I have some in the car. Come on." He started walking toward the path, pulling me by the hand.

"Edward, wait." I pulled back, and he stood still again. "I know it ended… strangely, but I had a wonderful time. It was a great surprise." I stood up on my toes and kissed him. The heat on his lips was something I had never felt before, and before I knew it, he was pushing my face away with both hands. Something was hurting… as I came out of my reverie, I cried out in pain; he had forgotten my burn and had laid his hand on the tender skin.

"Bella, I'm so sorry! I can't believe I just did that!" He backed away, eyes black again and jaw set. I bit my lip, congratulating myself on my stupidity. Well played, Bella.

"Come on, let's go gets some aloe," I muttered. I walked up to Edward to climb onto his back, but he backed away again.

"No. It'll burn you again," he whispered.

"No it won't. I've been holding your hands, and I just kissed you. My hands aren't burned, and my lips aren't either. It's a time thing, like a sunburn."

"No."

"For heaven's sake! I can't _walk_ back. It'll take all day!" Stubborn vampire.

Edward thought for a moment, and then knelt down by the picnic blanket, unfolding it and shaking out the crumbs. "Come on," he said, throwing it over his back like a cape. I climbed on, and he adjusted the fabric to lay as a barrier everywhere that our skin touched. After he was satisfied, he took the last corner and wrapped it around the front of his neck so I could hold on.

As we headed back through the forest, I tried to ignore the pain shooting up my arm every time Edward's feet hit the forest floor. I knew he was trying his best to run smoothly, and I clenched my teeth to avoid crying out, even as tears were running down my face from the pain.

Edward set me down by the car so carefully it was like slow motion. As soon as he saw my face, he sighed. "Bella, if I had known you were crying-"

I wasn't about let him start again. I needed another reason to explain the tears… "It's just that I want you to let it go, okay? You and me, we're… we're unique. There's bound to be a few bumps in the road, so please don't let it ruin our day. Please don't treat me like- like I'm so breakable. I really did have a great time, and I want to be a happy memory, okay? Please?" I really _was_ crying again now. He was starting to scare me.

The second batch of tears must have worked, because he finally smiled my favorite crooked smile. "You're right, I'm making too much of it. Shh, Bella, it's all right." He reached up and dried the tears on the right side of my face. "At least I'm the right temperature again- look." He reached down and pressed his hand against mine. Sure enough, he was almost back to normal, after our run in the shade.

He opened the door for me and I slid into my seat. By the time I heard the door shut, he was already in the driver's seat, twisting around to reach a large box sitting in the floor of the backseat behind him.

"So… why would a vampire have aloe lotion in his car?" I asked. I had a feeling I wasn't going to like the answer.

He opened the lid, revealing a huge first aid kit. "When vampires have accident-prone human girlfriends, they learn to plan ahead," he smirked as he rummaged through the contents of the box. I leaned over and saw an assortment of band-aids, two epi-pens, tourniquets, several mysterious-looking syringes… unbelievable.

"Dare I ask what the smaller box is, down at the bottom?" I asked. I had a feeling I wasn't going to like the answer to this one, either.

I didn't hear an answer so I looked up, finding Edward with a sheepish look on his face. "It's a bag of… blood. On dry ice," he mumbled, looking away.

I burst out laughing. I couldn't resist the joke that popped into my head. "In case you need a snack on the road sometime?" I giggled. He just looked at me in shock and I laughed even harder. In a moment, he was laughing with me and I finally relaxed.

He handed me a small green tube. "Just massage it in gently, three or four times a day," he ordered, sounding like Carlisle for a moment. I opened the tube and started rubbing it into my elbow, surprised at how cold the cream felt. It was _wonderful_. And the cold gave me an idea.

"Um, Edward? You don't happen to have an emergency clothes kit, do you? This cream is freezing."

"Ah, now you're thinking like Alice. She prepared that part of the kit, as I'm sure you can imagine." He got out of the car and walked back to the trunk, coming back with a cream-colored sweater. It was surprisingly normal, considering who packed it.

I was relieved to put it on. I certainly wasn't going to say anything to Edward about it, but I had been nervous about Charlie seeing the hand print on my arm. He was used to me coming home with all sorts of bumps and bruises, but even he would think that looked suspicious. As we drove home, Edward told me the stories of how he had learned to play each of his guitars.

.

.

.

We were home before I knew it, and I was surprised to see Charlie's cruiser in the driveway. Edward opened my door for me and kissed me on the cheek; he must have "seen" Charlie watching out the window. Sure enough, the front door opened and Charlie walked out.

"Hey, Edward! Heard you went on your first deer hunt with your folks this weekend. Catch anything?" I bit my lip to keep from laughing, but Edward's face was the picture of innocence.

"Yes, sir, two bucks. I even saw a mountain lion!"

"Whoa! I'm glad you made it out all right. Always good to have a gun with you when you're out that deep in the woods." It was nice to see Charlie making an effort to bond- over his second-favorite hobby, no less. I shut the car door and turned around, taking Edward's hand as I prepared to wait out the male bonding ritual.

Charlie's smile faded away as soon as he saw it. "Whoa, Bells. What'd you do to your face?

I had spent part of the drive home coming up with an answer to this. "Edward and I wanted to cook lunch over a fire, but I found out that campfire cooking and I do not belong together. I managed to splash the boiling water on myself when I was cooking." I was rather proud of my little alibi.

Charlie gave me a funny look, and his eyes drifted back to the burn on my face. Suddenly, I felt Edward stiffen beside me, and his hand tightened on mine. Not a good sign…

Charlie's eyes narrowed as he looked back and forth between Edward and I. Edward's hand tightened on mine even more, but he didn't move or speak. The silence was deafening, and finally Charlie broke in with a gruff voice. "Edward, you'll have to excuse us. I haven't seen Bella all day, and I'd like to spend some quality time with my daughter. Alone." Well, _that_ was a phrase I never thought I would hear.

Edward finally cleared his throat. "Actually, sir, I was wondering if we could-"

"Goodbye, Edward."

Edward cleared his throat again and looked at Charlie for a moment longer before turning to me. "I'm going to head home and unpack. See you tomorrow?" His eyes were full of meaning, and I nodded nervously.

Charlie and I stood in awkward silence as we watched Edward's car head down the street. I knew he wouldn't go far; something was obviously wrong, and he would surely up in my bedroom soon, listening in on Charlie's thoughts during whatever awkward conversation we were about to have.

As soon as we were back in the house, Charlie turned on me, his eyes unusually gentle. He hesitated a moment, then took a deep breath. "Bells, is there anything you want to tell me, now that Edward's gone?" he asked softly.

"Like what?" My pulse quickened and I could feel my heart rising up my throat.

He gestured to my face. "That wasn't made from boiling water, and you know it."

My face turned hot. "Well, it was …"

"What?" He crossed his arms, waiting.

"Okay, I didn't want to tell you in front of Edward, but…" I had to think of something! What could I have possibly burned myself with, other than a vampire boyfriend? I was the klutziest person on earth, and my mind quickly scrolled through all the things I had burned myself with in the past. Pots and pans, metal spoon, curling iron…

"Curling iron!" I blurted out. Charlie's eyebrows shot up, and he gestured for me to go on. "I was really excited about seeing Edward again today, so while I was waiting for him I was… I was trying out a new look for my hair, but when I was just getting started, it accidentally touched my face, and… and when it scared me I dropped it, and it burned the whole side of my face as it fell. Anyway, I felt really stupid about it, and I never did get my hair curled, and so I told him the boiling water thing, only that it happened while I was… cooking breakfast." I looked back up, to see if he bought my ridiculous story.

"So… uh, how are things between you two, you know, lately?" His face turned red and he started scratching the back of his head again. Bad sign.

"Great! We took a walk out in the woods, and he played guitar for me. I didn't even know he could play. I mean, I knew he could play piano, but I didn't know he could play guitar." I knew I was rambling, but I couldn't help it.

"Oh. Well, it sounds like you had a nice time." He seemed more relaxed now.

"So, Ch- Dad, how come you're home so early today?"

He gave me a strange look, and my heart started skipping beats again. He scratched the back of his head again. "Oh, I dunno… I just had a funny feeling. Just thought I'd take the rest of day off. I was thinking about a fishing trip, but it was already too hot."

"Yeah, a scorcher," I replied, with a little nervous laugh. Maybe this conversation was over, after all.

"It was. It was _sweltering_ , actually, so why are you wearing a sweater?"

I froze. He had totally caught me off guard and I didn't have a story ready. Think, Bella, think! As I opened my mouth, inspiration hit me. "We got so hot earlier that we went for a splash in the creek. You know, that little one a ways behind the house. Anyway, I got so wet I got a chill."

Charlie didn't even blink. "Your clothes aren't wet."

"Well, it was a while ago. My hair dried pretty quickly in the sun, too." What was he getting at?

"Could you take off your sweater, please?" His voice was cold now.

"Uh… I'm still a little chilly, actually."

He just stood there with his arms folded. I blew out a huge sigh and pulled the sweater over my head, trying very hard not to wince as the fabric rubbed along my elbow as I slid it off.

"Geez, Bella!" But his hands flew up to my left shoulder, where the welt from earlier had turned into a huge, ugly purple bruise. This was good. Maybe he'd stop there, and not see the _real_ one…

"What, that? Oh, you know me. I was running to get the phone this morning, and my bad knee buckled. I hit the counter on the way down." It felt good to say _something_ true for once today.

But to my dismay, his frown only deepened, and he walked around to my other side. His breath caught in his throat as he saw the handprint, and when he held up his hand next to the burn, comparing the shape, my head started spinning. I hadn't planned a story for this one, and my mind was an absolute blank. I had nothing.

"He's been hurting you, hasn't he?" he asked, his voice quivering.

"Of course not! He would never-"

"Then how did all this happen?" He pointed back to my face, and the bruise on my shoulder.

"I…" I looked into his eyes, and I did the worst thing possible. I burst into tears; how could I do anything else? I couldn't tell him the truth, and for the life of me I couldn't think straight enough to think of another alibi. I felt a ridiculous urge to call for Edward to come downstairs, but I knew it would only raise more questions that we wouldn't be able to answer. How was I going to fix this?

He wrapped me in a gentle bear hug, which made me cry even harder. After a few moments, I was able to finally squeak out a sentence. "It's not … it's not what you think, Charlie, I swear to God it's not."

I could feel his tears sliding down my cheek, mingling with my own. "I want to believe you sweetheart, I really do. But you have to give me an explanation that makes sense. You _have_ to." He pushed me away far enough to look into my eyes, but I had nothing to give him. I couldn't think anymore, and my head was pounding. I just shook my head.

Charlie was scratching his head again now, but he was standing up straighter. "Bella, look, I know it's hard to… to talk about these things. I've been a cop for a long time, so I'm used to playing the bad guy in these… these situations. I'll call him and tell him he can't see you anymore. Maybe we could-"

"NO!" I shouted, and he jumped back in surprise. "Charlie, you can't! He's… he would never hurt me, you have to believe me! He's everything to me!" I was crying again now, and Charlie held his hands up between us.

"I know you've been through a lot together, but…" He trailed off, and his gaze fell downward. What was he looking at? His eyes snapped back up to mine, and now they were bright with anger. His hands balled in fists at his side, and when he spoke, I could barely hear him. "Bells, I'm gonna run into work for just a few minutes. Don't go anywhere – I'll be right back." He grabbed his police belt off its hook and slammed the door behind him.

As soon as it shut, I was running up the stairs, bad knee and all. I only had a few minutes for Edward to tell me everything Charlie had been thinking, and help me come up with a good alibi for the hand print. I flung open the door to my bedroom, but my heart sank into my stomach.

He wasn't there.

I sat down slowly on the bed, thinking. Charlie had looked so angry right before he left. What was he going to do? And why hadn't Edward come back? I reached over to my phone and called his cell number, but I got no answer. My stomach twisted as I imagined a hundred awful scenarios, and I pulled my knees up to my chin, wrapping my arms around them as my tears began again.


	3. Unbelievable

**A/N: Kudos to Rachel and to GlitzyLitzy for the ideas of boiling water and curling irons. Sadly, Charlie still didn't believe you.**

**EPOV**

As soon as I was out of Charlie's hearing range, I jerked the car to stop in the first empty spot I could find. Checking to make sure no one was watching, I ducked into the woods and headed back toward Bella's house, cursing my stupidity as I ran. Charlie usually seemed so uninvolved in Bella's life- it truly hadn't occurred to me that he would question the burn on Bella's face, what with her penchant for clumsiness. If I had known that an alibi was needed, I could have helped Bella develop a more realistic one. Charlie had known right away that the burn couldn't have been from a splash of boiling water; the appearance was all wrong. As I ran, I kept replaying Charlie's suspicion in my brain over and over: _He did this to her. He did this to her. He did this to her._ I replayed it over a hundred times, and I still couldn't believe it. How could he _possibly_ think that I could hurt Bella? She was my life! The very thought of harming her was blasphemous. It was true that Charlie hadn't been pleased with me ever since the episode in Phoenix, but I had never noticed any suspicious tone to his thoughts before this. Why did he have to jump to the conclusion that I had hurt her? The worst part was that he was right, of course. If I were a normal human boyfriend, Bella wouldn't be risking her health by lying next to me in the sun.

I strained desperately to hear Charlie's thoughts as I ran, but they were spotty. It was always difficult to get a handle on Charlie's mind, and even harder now that he was upset. I slowed as I approached their house, and found I was able to catch the conversation through Charlie's thoughts, though they themselves were still sketchy. Bella was speaking right now.

"-while ago. My hair dried pretty quickly in the sun, too." What was she talking about?

"Could you take off your sweater, please?"

"Uh… I'm still a little chilly, actually."

I was confused. What did her sweater have to do with anything? My heart sunk as I realized what was about to happen. I had to do something! Should I storm in there? What would I say that wouldn't make it worse? I ground my teeth, cursing my monstrous vampire skin.

First Charlie saw the bruise, which had blossomed over the past few hours. But then he kept looking, and he saw the handprint.

Charlie's thoughts were loud and clear now. As he held up his hand, measuring it against the shape of the burn, horrible images flew through his mind. Me grabbing Bella by the arm, wrenching her closer. No, the thumb was in the wrong place, he decided. Pushing her- no, not that either. This time I was hitting her, and she was holding her arm up to ward off the blows. _That had to be it_ , he thought. _God knows I've seen it enough times before_. More images now, hundreds of women he had encountered with various bruises and other injuries; I recognized some of them from Forks. Several of them had hand-shaped red marks on their arms. The handprint on Bella's arm was pink at this stage of injury; there was no way for Charlie to know it was actually a burn.

I sank slowly to the ground. The image of me hitting Bella refused to leave my brain, and I couldn't see or hear anything else. I growled out loud and forced the image away so I could hear what was going on.

Charlie was holding Bella out in front of him, and she was shaking her head, her face dripping with tears. Charlie kept thinking over and over: _I love you, Bella. I love you. I'm going to save you._ He finally spoke aloud. "Bella, look, I know it's hard to… to talk about these things. I've been a cop for a long time, so I'm used to playing the bad guy in these… these situations. I'll call him and tell him he can't see you anymore. Maybe we could-"

"NO!" Bella shouted, at the same time I mouthed the word as well. "Charlie, you can't! He's… he would never hurt me, you have to believe me! He's everything to me!" She was crying again now, and I ached to reach out to dry her tears. In a few short months, Bella Swan had become everything to me, too.

Charlie was clenching his teeth, his min racing. He was thinking about how devoted I had been at the hospital in Phoenix, how I just stared at Bella as she slept. He rubbed her hair and said, "I know you've been through a lot together, but…" Suddenly, his thoughts were a confusion of jumbled images. Bella running out of the house, telling Charlie how she wanted to leave Forks, to leave _me_ , Bella in the hospital bed, Bella in a stairwell… He stared down at her too-thin left leg, and his thoughts fused into a tangled sphere, all colored red. And then, clear as crystal, Bella standing at the top of the stairwell, arguing with me, my fist connecting with her face, sending her backwards, tumbling down the stairs, slamming into a window.

I shot to my feet. He couldn't think that I could _possibly_ have done that!

But he did. A cold resolve settled in his mind, and when I saw his intention to go to the police station, I pulled out my cell phone to call Carlisle. I had turned it off earlier in the meadow, when Bella fell asleep. To my dismay, I saw a slew of missed text messages from Alice, and before I could read any of them, the phone vibrated in my hand. I warily opened the new text.

_Police coming here in fifteen minutes- looking for you- COME HOME NOW._

I cursed aloud and took off at top speed, dialing Carlisle's number as I ran.

.

.

.

As I approached our house, I felt my whole body being torn in two with guilt. I needed to be home; it wouldn't do for the police to arrive and find me missing. But Bella was back there, alone at the house, needing _me_. I felt nauseous and the blood I had consumed yesterday threatened to spill back out of my mouth. I shook my head, swallowing it back down. This was no time to be weak.

I leapt over the porch stairs and crashed right into the door in my distraction, tearing the whole frame right out of the wall.

"Nice, Edward," muttered Emmett. It looked like the whole family was already assembled in the front room, and Alice was pouting.

"Didn't I tell you to open the door? And _you_!" She glared at me. "Did you not get the seventeen messages I left you earlier? When the psychic calls, you answer!" Her eyes were black, but Jasper was thinking about how she wasn't angry with me; she was afraid of what Charlie was going to do. Jasper's own mind was racing with strategies and safeguards. He wasn't thrilled with me, either.

"Everyone quiet," ordered Carlisle. "Edward, we haven't gotten any calls from Charlie or the station. What exactly was Charlie thinking about when he was picturing the station?"

I was breathing hard, although I didn't know why, so I stopped. "I honestly don't know. Charlie often thinks in pictures without words, and even then it's difficult to follow more than a few seconds at a time. Carlisle, I don't know what to do." Admitting my failure wasn't as painful as I had thought it would be; I just needed my father's help.

He stood up straighter and made his decision. "Jasper, I want you to run to Bella's house. If Charlie is back already, hit him with whatever emotions you think will help. Emmett and Rosalie, get started cleaning up the door. Esme, get our camping prop bag out of the attic, and a few suitcases. We need to look like we're still in the middle of unpacking." Everyone except Alice, Carlisle and I darted out of the room.

"Bella needs me," I protested.

Carlisle shook his head. "No, Edward. It's imperative that you're here when the police come" _._ He was picturing us packing in a flurry and moving, and I winced. Then he turned to Alice. "They're definitely coming?"

Alice's eyes were glazed over. "Yes, a squad car will be here in three minutes, but… no, wait. They're not leaving with Edward. I see him signing a paper, and then they leave." Then she turned to me. "Why on earth was your phone off?" she demanded.

"We were in the meadow, and Bella fell asleep. I didn't want her to be disturbed." It sounded so stupid coming out of my mouth, but at the time it had seemed so important. Bella had looked so relaxed and comfortable without her cast, and I had wanted the day to be perfect.

"Well, it wouldn't have helped much anyway. I didn't see the burns until it was too late," she admitted. I just shook my head, and the three of us stood perfectly still while the others flew around the house.

I turned to my father. "Carlisle, how did this happen? My skin was hot, but it's not like the grass around me was bursting into flame. I even held her hand afterward, and there was no problem." I was truly dumbfounded. I still couldn't wrap my head around the fact that I had actually _burned_ her.

"I'll admit, I've never heard of it happening before. But then, you and Bella are quite the unique situation. I suppose it must have been a combination of the time elapsed, and the reflective quality of our skin. Besides that, Bella probably had sheen of sweat from the heat already, and the moisture must have served to magnify any reflected light and heat."

Emmett was dragging the door out of the room. "Like frying an ant with a magnifying glass, bro," he said helpfully.

I scowled. "Thanks, Em."

"Don't mention it."

Alice was trying her hardest to keep a hold of Charlie's future, but she stopped for a moment automatically to check on Bella. She was sitting on her bed, crying hysterically. Because of me.

Alice's eyes popped open, and she held a hand up as I opened my mouth. "Before you freak out, just let me say that she'll stop crying in less than two minutes. I think she's just stressed out right now."

"I have to go to her," I ground out through my teeth, edging toward the door, but Carlisle held me back.

"You can go as soon as the police leave. Alice?"

"It'll only take a couple of minutes." We heard an engine approaching, and soon the squad car pulled up beside the porch.

"Dr. Carlisle Cullen?" one of the policemen asked as he stepped out of the car. _So this is the famous Cullen place. I can't wait to tell Janey I actually saw it! I- Holy crow, what happened here? Charlie must be right about the kid –_ somebody _sure has a temper around here._ He had just seen the door, and I almost laughed out loud. Could this day get any worse? Everything I touched was going wrong!

Carlisle stepped forward, bits of drywall crunching under his feet. "That's me. Oh, don't worry about the door," he said cheerfully. "When you have three teenage boys under one roof, the wrestling gets out of hand sometimes. What can I help you gentlemen with?"

The other man pulled a paper out of his pocket. "We're here to serve a juvenile restraining order for a Mister…" He glanced down at the paper. "Edward Cullen."


	4. Midnight Makeover

**BPOV**

I hadn't wept long. The pain in my face and arm was back, and I got up, wiping my face on my other sleeve. I took a quick shower, doing my best to keep the hot water from touching the sore areas, and ten minutes later, I was climbing into bed after applying the aloe lotion again. I had no intention of talking to Charlie when he got home from the station; I still had no clue what to say to him, and by this time I was fuming with anger. I tried to be mad at Charlie, but I really couldn't. He was doing his best to look out for me, and I could understand how he had jumped to the conclusion he did. No, I was angry with myself, and my stupid ability for getting into these situations. How many girls managed to burn themselves on their boyfriend's skin? If Edward ever did agree to change me, I already knew what my "talent" was going to be: getting myself into trouble. Except in that case, it would be _supernatural_ trouble, and I would no doubt cause some sort of stupid war.

But right now, my biggest problem was convincing Charlie that I was asleep; I could already hear him coming up the stairs, and I snapped the light off just in time. I heard my door creak open, and I did my best to snore. It was a stretch, pretending to be asleep at three p.m., but maybe he would believe I had cried myself to sleep. I had purposely left my wet bath towel on the floor, so that he would see I had already gotten ready for bed. Charlie must have stood there five whole minutes, and I hoped against hope that Edward was hiding just outside the house, listening. As soon as Charlie left, he would slip in window, and tell me everything was going to be all right. He would explain that Charlie had decided it was all a misunderstanding. We would laugh about it, and I would fall asleep in his arms, all being right with the world.

Only Edward didn't slip in the window, and all wasn't right with the world. The last three nights I had fallen asleep alone, and it hadn't been so bad, knowing that he would be back tonight. But tonight it was different; my room felt empty and cold without his presence, and when I finally drifted off, my dreams were dark.

.

.

.

I awoke to someone whispering my name. The room was dark, and there was a wonderful, cold numbness covering my burned face and elbow. It felt like I was leaning against a cold wall of marble.

"Edward!" My eyes snapped open and I found him already lying beside me, carefully keeping each of his hands on my burns, like ice packs. "I was so worried when you didn't come back! What happened? What is Charlie thinking about? He went to the police station-"

"You were having a nightmare," he interrupted coldly. It wasn't a question.

I scooted myself to a sitting position, and Edward sat up as well. "Why didn't you come back?"

Edward just stared at his hands for a moment before answering. "I did come back, but not into the house. I had to leave immediately because Charlie was sending a squad car out to my house, and I had to be there when they arrived. I came here soon after that, but I waited outside with Jasper for a while. Charlie stayed up late tonight, and he came to check on you several times."

"Jasper was here? And why were the police at your house?"

Edward winced. "Not so loud. Charlie's been tossing and turning all night."

" _Why_ were the police at your house?"

"Because Charlie issued a restraining order against me," he said quietly.

"He didn't!"

He just nodded, and ran his fingers back through his hair. "Listen, Bella. Charlie doesn't just think I hurt you yesterday. He thinks it's been going on since the beginning- since your injuries in Phoenix," he added meaningfully.

My head started spinning, and I must have actually tilted, because Edward was suddenly holding my shoulders still where I sat. "Why would…. wait, how could he think that? Carlisle was the one that told him the whole story about me falling in the stairwell, not you!"

"He's planning on calling Carlisle in the morning, to go through the story again. He suspects that I met you alone in the stairwell, and that I…" He shook his head slowly, and continued. "Anyway, he thinks that after you… got hurt, that I went to get Carlisle, and told him that I had already found you unconscious."

"Well, Carlisle can just tell him that he found me first, or something like that. Anyway, Charlie will believe him. He adores Carlisle, ever since it happened."

"Let's hope that adoration sticks," Edward muttered.

"Okay, so that takes care of the Phoenix thing. What else did you and Jasper pick up from Charlie while I sleeping?

"Jasper picked up a lot of anger, of course. And love," he added softly. "Charlie's determined to save you from me. He feels terrible that he didn't see the abuse earlier, and he's angry at himself for being the Chief of Police, and yet missing this."

"That's because there was nothing to miss!" I said angrily.

"You have to admit, his conclusion is a reasonable one. And we have been lying to him pretty often. Ever since Phoenix, he's had a feeling that something wasn't right about me, and this answer fits all the questions."

I couldn't argue with that. "Anything else?" I asked miserably.

"One good thing, possibly. When Charlie was getting ready for bed, Jasper started picking up some uncertainty. It grew as Charlie laid in bed for a while, and I could hear him wondering if your curling iron story could have been true."

"Well, that's good. I guess my boiling water story wasn't as foolproof as I thought."

"No, Charlie's seen a lot of injuries in his career. He knows that a splash burn wouldn't have such a distinct border, and it wouldn't be contained to one spot. Bella, why didn't you tell me you were planning on lying to Charlie about your face?"

I stared at him. "What was I supposed to say, that I got a sunburn from the light reflecting off my boyfriend's skin?"

He smiled weakly. "No, I mean why did you plan to say anything at all? Charlie's seen you with any number of injuries, and he's never been suspicious before."

"Well… I knew the handprint wouldn't go over too well, so that's why I wanted the sweater. Anyway, I thought that if I had a good story for the face, he wouldn't keep _prying_."

"He might not have, if I had known this would happen. I could have helped you fabricate a much better story. It's what we do best, after all," he added sarcastically, his eyes darkening.

I frowned. "See, _this_ is why I didn't discuss it with you. You're getting broody again," I accused. "I was hoping it wouldn't come up at all, and so I just came up with the story as a backup. You weren't supposed to know that Charlie might be suspicious."

Edward stood up and walked to the window, leaning both his elbows on the sill as he gazed out. "You shouldn't have to do this, you know," he murmured. "You shouldn't need to have fabricated stories, or backup stories, or any kind of lies. You might as _well_ be in an abusive relationship, for all the covering up you have to do."

I walked over to him and leaned my head on his shoulder. "You're right, of course. If I was dating Mike Newton, this would all be _so_ much easier." He couldn't help grinning back at me, and finally leaned in to kiss me. It was too brief, of course, but for once I didn't mind; my mind was still working on the problem at hand.

"Okay, so Charlie is going to call Carlisle tomorrow, and he'll be straight on the Phoenix thing, and then he may or may not believe my curling iron story, and now we just need to think of a story for the handprint. Ideas?"

"I've got better than ideas. I've got _Alice_."

"Huh?"

He nodded out the window; sure enough, there was movement on the ground below. I jumped back as Alice's face suddenly appeared at the window, and as soon as Edward opened it, she landed silently on the floor between us, a hot pink purse slung over her shoulder.

"Oh, Bella! I'm so sorry this happened!" She chirped as she hugged me carefully. "But it's nothing a little makeover won't fix!" She pulled a bulky package out of her purse, and unzipped it to reveal an emergency tool kit with rows of elastic loops – but instead of tools, they held a neat row of travel-size makeup bottles, along with brushes, sponges and a dozen other torture devices. Two of the vials were empty, I noticed.

I groaned. "it's three o'clock in the morning, Alice! Do we need to do this right now?" I looked over helplessly to Edward, but he was just smirking at me. "Traitor," I hissed.

"Yes, we need to do this right now. We need to find the right blend of color for your face, and then the right blend for your elbow, so that I can mix them tonight. That way it'll be foolproof for you to put on in the morning." She held up the two empty vials, twirling them between her fingers. Seeing my frown, she set the vials back in their loops, and crossed her arms, her face sympathetic.

"You have to do it, Bella. The burns are going to look worse tomorrow, and when Charlie sees them, he's going to get _more_ suspicious. Right now he thinks the handprint was from Edward hitting you, but if he realizes it's a burn, he'll decide the abuse was premeditated. He's going to have Edward arrested, and he's going to have Sue Clearwater stop in at the station and examine Edward to check for signs of drug use. And Edward will hear Sue thinking about using her stethoscope, and he's going to have to break out through the wall of jail to avoid the examination, and then none of us will be able to live in the U.S. or use the Cullen name for thirty years! Now sit _down_!"

I sat.

"Now," she said sweetly, "You already told Charlie that the face injury _is_ a burn, so we're not going to cover that one all the way. The handprint we're going to completely cover, if we can." She went to work, and though she tried to be gentle, I couldn't help wincing every time she applied the makeup. Edward stood behind me the whole time, rubbing my shoulders gently; I was glad I couldn't see his face as he watched. It took several tries for Alice to get the colors right, and by the time she was done, the burns were throbbing in pain. "That's it," she announced finally, and Edward hurried to kneel in front of me, gently dabbing the makeup off with a cold, wet washcloth he had been holding ready. This hurt more than the makeup, but I refused to let _him_ see that. Then he applied more of the aloe lotion, and I sighed in relief as it took the worst of the burn away.

"Bella, only use the makeup when you're going to be around Charlie… or anyone," instructed Alice. "The burn will heal more slowly if you leave the makeup on too long. Edward, you need to keep your skin against the burns all night in order to keep the inflammation down. Be sure to frequently change which areas of your skin you're using, so it'll always be cold." Edward nodded. He was already holding his hands on the burns now, and the pain was on its way to a happy numbness. Alice packed up her kit and left me with a pack of cotton balls and the two vials, now filled with liquid makeup, and labeled "arm" and "face" respectively.

"Wow, you guys really _are_ good at this stuff," I muttered. A second later, Edward's eyes grew dark and he glared back at his sister. "That's not funny, Alice," he growled.

"Whatever. Anyway, I'm guessing from the mostly-blank future that you two still don't have a cover story for the handprint."

Edward and I looked at each other for a moment, and I shrugged. "The curling iron bounced off her arm as it fell," he said slowly. Alice just rolled her eyes.

"Okay," I said, "How about if I fell down on the trail, and my arm landed on something metal that the sun had heated, like a bear trap? It might explain the lines that look like fingers."

Alice just shook her head. "Weren't you listening to me? Charlie cannot have even have a hint that it was a burn. Thirty years in exile, remember? Next."

"Animal attack," decided Edward. "They're claw marks, and I tried to-"

"No, no, NO!" muttered Alice. "Listen, you two. You're not going like this, but Bella needs an embarrassing cover story for the handprint, which has now "faded". Since you got upset when he asked you about it before, it can't be a simple little accident; if it was, you wouldn't have gotten so upset, and you would have told him, right?" I nodded. I didn't like where this was going. "So," she continued," the obvious solution is to tell Charlie that Edward really _did_ hit your arm."

Edward stiffened beside me. "Absolutely not!" he growled. "The whole point of this nonsense is to get Charlie away from the theory that I caused her injuries!"

Alice stood her ground. "Charlie's not an idiot, you know. He's an experienced chief of police in a small town, which means he's seen it all, especially in terms of domestic violence. You told me yourself how easily he figured out that your hand had made the mark on her arm. If you hand him a story that has nothing to do with your hand, he's never going to buy it. We know from experience that humans are more likely to believe a lie when it's as close to the truth as possible. So, all we have to do is convince him that it was an accident. Ideas?"

We spent the next two hours brainstorming, with Alice checking the future, helping us fine tune the story for "maximum believability", as she called it. As the room began to lighten with the dawn, Alice said she was satisfied, and got up to leave.

"Hold it," said Edward. "You still aren't sure about the outcome, are you?"

"I'm never _sure_. You know that better than anyone," answered Alice. "This depends on Bella's performance, and on Charlie's mood, which is based on any decisions anyone might make tomorrow morning. And besides that, I can only see the near future in this case. There are simply too many variables to say that Charlie will never again be suspicious after this; I can only say that I _think_ he will drop the abuse theory. Now I've really got to go; Charlie will be waking up in ten minutes. Good luck, Bella. And for God's sake, Edward, leave your phone _on_." He nodded sheepishly, and she tumbled out the window silently.

"Now, time for the human to get some sleep," Edward said as soon as she was gone. "Charlie will probably come check on you as soon as he gets up, so I'm going to go out into the woods now. I'll be back after he's checked on you, for your next ice pack treatment," he said with a grin. I climbed back into bed, and he tucked the covers around me. He sat on the side of the bed for a few minutes, humming and holding one hand on the burned side of my face. I was just drifting off to sleep, when the humming stopped abruptly.

"Bella?" he whispered. "I'm sorry I wasn't here earlier, when Charlie left for the station. I wanted to be."

"I know."

He leaned close to kiss me goodbye, but I pulled away.

"Wait," I said. "I want to know something, and I want you to tell me the truth… the real truth, not the Cullen-ified fabrication." He smirked and nodded for me to continue.  
"Earlier, when you were mad at Alice, and said her thoughts weren't funny, what were the not-funny thoughts?"

His smirk faded into a deep frown. "Alice was proud of herself for already having the makeup kit made before any of this happened. On the day that we had the baseball game, she prepared the kit in the morning, thinking that I was bound to hurt you eventually, either by accident or… well, you know. By _accident_. Like if you were to cut yourself, and the blood made me…" he trailed off, his eyes dark. "Anyway, she was bragging about the fact that we should have expected something like this to happen, and she apparently just won a bet with Emmett about how long the kit had gone unused."

"He should know better than to bet against Alice," I laughed.

"It's still not funny, Bella," he said darkly.

"You're right, I'm sorry. It just that this whole thing is so _surreal_ , and I think someday we will be able to laugh about it. But, in all seriousness," I said, looking up at him, "Promise me something."

"Anything."

"If this should… go badly, and your family has to disappear, I want you to promise that you'll take me with you."

He just stared at me.

"Edward, I really think it will work out. I do. But if it doesn't, we may need to make some quick decisions… and I don't want your family getting into trouble because of me. I just want to disappear _with_ you, okay?"

"Bella," he said slowly. "It's not going to go badly. It's all going to turn out fine. And I appreciate your… devotion. But if you were to disappear at the same time we did, it would lead to a massive investigation. Especially if you were still a minor. Do you understand?"

I nodded, and after a quick kiss, he slipped out the window.

Yes, I understood. I understood that, once again, Edward had avoided giving me his promise.

**A/N: I need help again! I still can't think of a good alibi for the handprint, and this time I want it to be really believable. Does anyone have any ideas?**

**P.S. Thanks so much for all the favorite/follows/reviews. Really made my day! :)**


	5. Sentinels

**A/N: Surprise! Two chapters today! I want to say thank you for all your great ideas - I wish I could use them all! Special thanks to ACompleteNerd, sibaruneko and Leila. I mashed all three of your ideas together and this is what I got. (its in the next chapter) Enjoy!**

**EPOV**

I tried to ignore the knot forming in my stomach as I slipped out Bella's window. Her request had shocked me, and I had been totally unprepared to answer her. Even when the worst had happened back in March, and I was pursuing James, my goal was only to return her to her human life unhurt. When I had found her in the ballet studio, broken and burning, my goal had been the same: to rescue her from the venom, and restore her humanity. Alice's suggestion that I let the venom spread had barely registered in my mind at the time, and it had taken every ounce of my concentration to keep the monster reined in even as he feasted.

I shivered at the memory. Bella's blood had tasted even better than I had imagined, and I had only tasted its true essence for two seconds. At first it had been tainted with James' venom, and in the end with morphine. But for those middle two seconds, I had been in paradise, and the world had shattered around me; there was only my thirst, and her blood. Only when the morphine came through did the rest of the world begin to reappear. Bella became human again, and, on the edges of my madness, I remembered that I loved her. I later told Bella that it had been impossible for me to stop, but that I had done it; it had been a lie. I _didn't_ stop. If the morphine hadn't brought me back down to earth, she would have died. I truly hadn't been strong enough to save her.

The first time I had hunted after that, I had choked down the deer's repulsive blood, trying to drown the memory of the ecstasy that I had felt in those two glorious seconds. As I drank, my muscles were trembling with the desire to run back to the hospital and attack her; fortunately, Carlisle had insisted that I hunt farther away than usual. I had hunted several times since then, and each time I fed, the monster raged within me, demanding that I return to the feast he had sampled. It had only just begun to get easier, and on the hunting trip this weekend, I had truly enjoyed my meal for the first time in months.

Ironically, I had found it easier to be around Bella in the weeks after I tasted her blood. If I had been afraid of hurting her in the beginning, I was terrified now- now that I knew how I had failed the first time. This made controlling the monster easier. Instead of having to constantly push him down, I had him locked away, encased in steel. Every word he uttered was profane, so I refused to hear him at all in Bella's presence.

When she had been in the hospital, recovering from her encounter with James, I had wallowed in guilt; It had been my fault that she had been hurt. She would never have met James if she hadn't been with my family. He might not have pursued her at all if I hadn't foolishly let him see my protective anger.

But even with my new level of control, Bella still wasn't safe; she had been hurt again. Only this time, I had hurt her _myself_ , and she had the marks on her body to prove it. My right hand ached as I remembered the handprint on her arm, and the images from Charlie's imagination tormented me again. I deserved everything he suspected of me, and I deserved the restraining order, as well. If only I could obey it! I had already broken the law by coming to Bella's house last night, and I knew I would do it again tonight. It wasn't a choice anymore; I was physically unable to stay away from her. She was the center of my universe; fighting her gravity was a lost cause.

And now she wanted me to promise to take her away, should our plan fail. How could I promise that? It had taken her this long to heal from her injuries, and in less than twenty-four hours after getting her cast removed, she was injured again. If I took her away from Charlie, and brought her with us to our next home, I could only imagine what would happen to her. Jasper's control was tenuous at best, and Rosalie would make her miserable. Carlisle would be racked with guilt over the kidnapping. And what kind of life would it be for Bella? Instead of lying occasionally to protect her boyfriend, her whole life would be a lie.

My hands clenched into fists as I realized what Bella's answer would be to all of this: that I should change her. No doubt she would gladly explain to me how this would solve all of our problems, and we could begin our life together. Our _life_. Never mind the fact that it would begin with her _death_. I grabbed the tree nearest me and ripped it from the earth, tossing it aside in my anger.

"Well, it's a good thing _I_ came." I whirled around and was face to face with Jasper. I hadn't notice his thoughts approaching me; in fact, I had no memory of how I had gotten this deep into the woods. I felt myself relaxing, and gave him a thankful nod. We had business to attend to, and my introspection could wait for another time.

"You're early," I said.

He released me from his calming grip and began walking toward Bella's house. "I wanted to get here before Charlie woke up. It will help if his last dreams are pleasant. I need to get closer, though."

I followed him silently. Jasper was a big part of the plan we had developed with Alice, but his gift had a much smaller range than mine. We paused just inside the edge of the woods, and Jasper closed his eyes in concentration.

I took the opportunity to call Alice. "It's working," she said as soon as she picked up. "Charlie is going to feel great when he wakes up… until he remembers, of course. So far, so good."

"Is Carlisle ready for the call?" I asked.

"Yes. I'll text you if anything changes."

I ended the call and watched Jasper as he continued to send waves of peace and security toward Charlie's bedroom. I shifted my attention to check on Charlie, but I couldn't see much of his dreams. Why did this man have to be so difficult? It was maddening enough not to be able to read Bella's mind. Trying to read her father's blurry thoughts took a lot of work, and I was getting a headache.

Charlie stirred, and his thoughts began to come into focus. He laid peacefully, staring up at the ceiling for a few moments, until the memories of the day before hit him, and he frowned, swinging his legs out of bed. _I've got to call Carlisle before Bella wakes up._ He tiptoed to Bella's room and slowly opened the door an inch, peeking to find Bella "sleeping" soundly. He went back to get dressed and make some coffee.

"I hope her acting is this good later," I muttered to Jasper.

"She's not acting, she's really asleep."

"How would you know?"

He shrugged. "A person's emotions have a different texture when they're asleep. Much like their thoughts, I imagine."

"I thought _I_ was the one who stalked human girls while they slept."

"Please. How many boring lectures and slide shows have we sat through over the years? I've seen more humans sleeping than I ever wanted to." He turned away from me, and closed his eyes again as he monitored Charlie.

I felt a stab of jealousy. I hadn't been surprised to learn that Jasper's gift worked on Bella, while mine didn't, but it was still unfair. Hers was the mind I wanted most in the world to hear, and it was the only one I would never be able to hear. Unlike mine, Jasper's gift was physical in nature; he absorbed and manipulated emotional responses using the chemical, electrical, and hormonal signals that controlled them. He had an unrestricted access into Bella's heart, and it bothered me. _I_ wanted that privilege.

I wanted to ask Jasper to focus on Bella instead, but I didn't. Our mission was too important. We stood silently side by side, two marble statues holding vigil over the most important house in the world.

.

.

.

Charlie was drinking his coffee slowly, delaying the phone call. He was running through his theories, and I winced as he pictured the stairwell scene again. His thoughts flickered, and Bella was lying in the hospital bed. I was in the chair next to her, staring at her as she slept. Charlie flipped through the next few days she had spent there, and frowned as he remembered that I never left her side. What he had first thought was devotion now twisted into something ugly; I never left Bella's room because I was afraid she would tell someone the truth. He remembered the wariness in Bella's eyes as she watched me. _She was afraid_ , he decided. _He had warned her not to say anything, and he wouldn't leave her alone for a second. Come to think of it, he hardly leaves her alone now that she's home._

After he had finished his coffee, Charlie called our home number, hoping Carlisle had already gone to work; he wasn't looking forward to this. Jasper called Alice on his phone, so that he could hear Carlisle's side of the conversation. I simply listened through Charlie's thoughts.

"Hello?"

"Dr. Cullen? It's Chief Swan. I'm sorry to call you this early in the morning-"

"It's quite all right, Charlie. I just got back from my night shift, and I was going to call you soon anyway."

"Yeah… I wanted to apologize for last night. I should have come myself, but I didn't want Bella to be alone."

"I have to admit I was surprised, and I still don't know the details. Edward was so shocked and upset after the police left that he wouldn't talk to me the rest of the night. Why on earth would you issue a restraining order against my son?" Carlisle's voice was the coldest I had ever heard it.

"Because when they got back to my house yesterday, I saw some very clear signs that Edward had… had been hurting her." Charlie swallowed uncomfortably.

" _Edward_?" Carlisle said incredulously. "Bella is accusing him of abusing her? That can't be possible. Edward would never-"

"Bella is denying the whole thing. She had excuses for two of the injuries, but there was a handprint on her arm, and she didn't even try to explain that one. She just started crying when I asked her about it."

"It's obviously a misunderstanding. The very idea of Edward hurting someone is ludicrous. And I can assure you that I'm not just saying that as his father; Edward is one of the gentlest souls I have ever known." I rolled my eyes at this. I was glad I wasn't able to hear Carlisle's thoughts as he spit _that_ lie out.

 _But you're not really his father… you don't know everything about him_ , Charlie was thinking. "Dr. Cullen, I want to-"

"Carlisle, please."

"Carlisle, I want to ask you something, and if we can clear some of this up, it would be helpful."

"Of course."

"Back in March, when Bella came to your hotel in Phoenix… can you tell me again exactly what happened when you first found Bella? What you saw, I mean, not anything that Edward told you."

"He didn't tell me anything. I tried to get him to sleep when we checked in to the hotel, but he was too nervous. He wasn't sure what to say to Bella when and if we found her, so neither of us got any sleep. We had been sitting there talking for about two hours when we heard a crash, and we both ran out of the room. We split up because we weren't sure where the sound had come from – Edward was looking around on the floor we were staying on, while I went toward the stairwell. As soon as I opened the door, I saw blood on the wall and I ran down to the second level- that's where I found the broken window, and Bella was lying unconscious on the ground outside. I yelled for Edward, and then he came down as well."

"Trust," I murmured to Jasper. He nodded and Charlie's thoughts responded immediately. _Well, that… makes sense. But didn't he say before that she tripped on the stairs? How would he have known that, if he didn't see it happen?_

I grabbed the phone from Jasper, speaking at top speed. "Alice! Charlie is suspicious because Carlisle had told him before that Bella had tripped, but if he didn't see if happen, how would he know she tripped?"

I heard Alice relay the message quickly to Carlisle, and he responded immediately. "Edward was so upset, I thought he was going to pass out for a moment," Carlisle said to Charlie. "He kept crying and saying 'Who did this to her? Who did this to her?' He calmed down when I showed him how one of her shoelaces was untied; it was obvious that she had tripped."

 _Well, I feel like an idiot now._ "Okay, I just wanted to be sure on the details. Uh, I also called to remind you that this is a juvenile restraining order, which means it's your responsibility to… you know, keep him away from Bella."

Carlisle sighed deeply. "Charlie, I must ask you to speak with Bella again, and I'll talk to Edward as well. I know how much Bella means to him, and I truly can't fathom the possibility that he would hurt her. I'm sure there's a reasonable explanation. But until we get it straightened out, I'll see to it that he obeys the restraining order. Does it follow that there will be some sort of hearing?" I had never heard Carlisle sound nervous before; I hoped it was part of the act.

"Probably, though there's no rush. Let me talk to Bella again, and-"

"Hang on a second, Charlie." When he spoke again, the sound was slightly muffled. "Edward, slow down. I _know_ you didn't hurt her, just let me get this straightened out with her father and then we'll... what?" What was Carlisle doing? This wasn't part of the plan.

He was quiet for a moment, and I could hear Emmett mumbling in the background. "All right, I'll ask him. Charlie," he said more loudly, "Edward would like to know if he would be allowed to come and speak with you. He says he wants to explain what happened."

"No," Charlie said firmly. "He's not coming here _._ " _I'm not letting him within a mile of my daughter. Just because he didn't hurt her in Phoenix doesn't mean he didn't hurt her yesterday._

"Well, could he meet you at the station sometime later today? Please let him, Charlie. Edward is a responsible young man and he wants to explain everything to you – though _I_ haven't heard the explanation yet myself."

Jasper and I looked at each other, dumbfounded. Why on earth would Carlisle send me to the police station, of all places? This was _definitely_ not part of the plan.

"All right…" said Charlie slowly. _Maybe if he's so willing to come forward, it means it really_ was _a misunderstanding. I may have jumped the gun with the restraining order. I need to talk to Bella before I see him, though._ "How about eleven?"

"That's fine. I have a meeting at the hospital at 11:30, so I'll drop him off on the way. And I'll be sure to find out what happened by then, too."

They hung up on their call, and Jasper took the phone away from his ear. "Alice says she's sorry, but she had to change it up. Charlie was planning on doing the hearing, and there was going to be a medical exam. Not anymore, though. Looks like responsible Edward saved the day."

"That was close," I muttered. We turned our attention back to the house, and waited for the next phase of our plan. Charlie's thoughts and emotions were calming down, with a little help from Jasper. It seemed he was hoping now that he had been mistaken about me. If Bella pulled off her performance, and my talk with Charlie went well, I would be back in his good graces by the end of the day.

**A/N: Hopefully you can tell that I'm trying to capture Edward and Bella's relationship as it was in the pre-New Moon days. I'm borrowing a lot of the emotional arcs from that story, though none of the plot. Enjoy Chapter Six!**


	6. Believe Me

**Note to new readers: If you read my 1950 story first, you'll notice a difference here in how I describe Edward's perception of Jasper's gift. In this chapter, I have him "seeing" a visual perception of emotions through Jasper's eyes in terms of auras... something I ended up choosing not to do in Tale of Years, because I felt it was giving too much advantage to Edward. Also, by the time I got to writing 1950 I had realized that Jasper's sensation of emotions was more instinctual: feeling, versus seeing. But I also like this way, so I decided to leave the inconsistency as is.**

* * *

**EPOV**

We had been waiting for another two hours when my pocket finally buzzed with an incoming text from Alice.

_Bella will wake up in 2 mins, everything looking good. Sorry about the police station thing._

I just shook my head. How did anyone get out of these situations without empaths, telepaths, and clairvoyants? I felt a surge of love for my family. Everyone except Rosalie had quickly warmed up to my Bella. Even Jasper admired her, although he hardly ever spoke to her and kept his distance. I looked over at my brother, thankful for his willingness to share his gift today. In the beginning, when I was being most tempted by Bella's blood, Jasper had wanted to kill her in order to protect the family. Today, a mere few months later, he was working alongside me to save our relationship. It was partly because he felt I had made a mess of things and that I would mangle this on my own, but I was still grateful.

"Thanks, Jasper, for doing this," I said. Jasper smiled as he breathed in my gratitude, and nodded.

"Bella's waking up," he told me. I greedily dove into his mind, watching as he processed her emotions. After years of practice, I was able to follow Jasper's gift as he read the emotions around him, even when he didn't articulate the results in "thought form" for me. He saw the emotional auras of the people around him in terms of color, texture, and magnitude. He was able to draw in the auras and either magnify or alter them at will. I saw myself in the eyes of his gift now, a huge white cloud of love surrounding me as I thought of Bella. He winked at me, knowing what I was doing, and turned his attention back to Bella. As she yawned, we observed a sense of peace slowly growing in volume until it suddenly shifted into a purple, trembling cloud of anxiety. I sighed; Bella was never going to convince Charlie of my innocence this way.

"Don't worry, I'm turning it down now," Jasper said. I watched as the cloud shrunk , contracting around her in her bed, and I caught my breath as bursts of pink light shot through the cloud, illuminating it until it turned a lighter color. I turned to Jasper. "Trust?" I asked tentatively.

He nodded. "And the lightening color is love. I'm not doing it, though. She's _always_ like that around you."

"What makes you think it has anything to do with me?"

He shrugged. "I just know. Every time she sees you walk into a room, this is what I see."

My heart ached as my love for Bella grew even more, if that were possible. I hadn't spent much time observing her through Jasper's mind; he usually gave her a lot of space, and when he was there, I was so focused on her I couldn't be bothered to hear anyone's mind. I decided to do it more in the future, though. Seeing her emotions opened up a whole new world for me, and she was even more beautiful. She was so precious to me, and to think that she felt such love and trust for _me_ … I still had trouble believing it. I certainly couldn't _understand_ it. She knew so much about me – even about my murderous past – and yet she trusted me with her life, even after I had demonstrated how poor a job I was doing at protecting that life.

 _Edward_ , Jasper thought with a warning tone, _Cut it out. I'm trying to concentrate._

"Sorry," I muttered. Self-deprecation around Jasper was never a good idea.

We waited as Bella got ready for the day, knowing she was applying the makeup according to Alice's instructions. I shifted my attention downstairs, where Charlie was waiting nervously. Jasper hit him again with wave of tranquility, and he relaxed a bit as he saw Bella coming down the stairs, looking thoughtful. He got up and met her near the kitchen window; Jasper and I had a good view of both of them from where we were standing in the woods.

"Hey, sweetheart."

"Morning, Dad. I, um… I think we should talk about the Edward thing."

"We will, in a minute. First I need to explain why I left in such a hurry last night." Bella nodded for him to continue. "I went to the station because I needed to call the county judge's office… I had him issue a restraining order on Edward." _I did it for you, Bells; please understand._ But even as he spoke the words, Jasper was sending Bella a shot of anger and embarrassment to help boost her reaction.

"You _what_?!" Her face was red; very convincing. "I told you, he didn't hurt me! How could you do this?"

"You have to admit, it looks pretty bad. Unless you'd like to tell me what _really_ happened." He crossed his arms as he leaned against the kitchen counter, but his eyes were gentle as they flickered over to inspect Bella's skin; he was relieved to see that the burn on her face was already much better. The bruise on her left arm was a sickly yellow color, but the handprint was only partially visible as a faint bruise.

 _Well done, Alice_ , thought Jasper proudly. At first Alice was going to completely cover the handprint with skin-color makeup, but then Bella suggested that it should have the appearance of a fading bruise, since it wasn't supposed to be a burn in the first place. After a little experimentation, Alice created a blend of makeup with a slight bluish undertone, and the effect was perfect.

"Yeah, that was a little weird yesterday," muttered Bella. "I'm going to tell you the truth now, if you promise not to get too mad."

"I'm listening."

"First of all, I really did burn myself with the stupid curling iron yesterday morning, and I really did hit my shoulder on the counter when I was running to get the phone. You know me, Dad, human catastrophe magnet."

Charlie smiled sadly as Jasper blanketed him with trust and pity. "I guess neither of those are outside your, uh… specialty. Now, the elbow?"

Bell bit her lip and ducked her head a bit, looking up at him. "Okay, here's the part you're not going to like. We didn't just go on a walk in the woods yesterday… we went hiking up Kamikaze Pass."

Charlie didn't need Jasper's help here. "Bella, I know I've told you how dangerous that place is! Didn't I say you were never to go there?"

Bella winced. "I know, I know. And I wouldn't have, but Edward and I were so glad to see each other again, and we wanted to do something special, and he's been there with his family a dozen times, and I kind of pestered him until he agreed to take me."

"Bella, that place is dangerous! I don't care who you're with!" _I can't believe he agreed to take her there. I really thought he was more responsible than that! Doesn't he know how many hikers have gotten hurt on the pass?_

We had all agreed that was unrealistic to try and totally erase Charlie's anger. We agreed upon this plan, which would give Charlie a reason to be angry with me in a normal, human-teenage-boyfriend sort of way.

"So, anyway, we were on that part where the path winds around the hill, and it's just a couple feet wide, and … well, I kind of slipped."

"And Edward grabbed your arm to stop you from falling?" _I really want to believe you, Bells. But the thumb part wasn't in the right place for that._

"No, he _tried_ to grab my arm, but it was too late for him to get a good grip. I was already falling over the edge, and he only had time to pin my arm up against the side of the hill. I'm fine, though," she said quickly. "While he held my arm there, I was able to swing my foot back up onto the path and he helped me climb up with his other hand. He saved my life, probably."

"Of course he saved your life! He was the one who put it in danger in the first place," Charlie said caustically. I frowned at the truth in his statement, but forced myself to focus on his thoughts. Jasper was hitting him with as much trust and love as he could manage, and Charlie was imagining the scene on the hiking trail. He felt a moment of panic as he pictured Bella slipping on the dusty trail, tumbling over the edge, and me yelling her name as I swung my hand down to catch her. My knuckles were white I pinned her arm as hard as I could against the side of the cliff, reaching with my other hand to catch _her_ other hand as she tried to scramble back up. _I could have lost you, Bells! What would I have done?_ I nodded to Jasper; this was the signal for him to send a fresh wave of guilt over to Charlie. _Okay, I guess I royally screwed this one up. I practically accused him of…. Aw, here he was the whole time, saving her life. Unbelievable. She's never going to forgive me for this._

Jasper's features relaxed as I relayed Charlie's thoughts to him. "The suspicion is almost gone," he confirmed.

I let out a huge breath I didn't know I had been holding. Charlie was hugging Bella now. "I'm so sorry, Bells," he whispered. "I thought… it looked like… why didn't you just tell me the truth last night?"

"I was afraid you'd be mad… I'm sorry, Dad. I know we shouldn't have gone up there."

Charlie released her. " I _am_ mad. You knew it was against the rules, but you went anyway. And he should have known better. I'll have to talk to him about _that_."

Bella's eyes brightened. "So you're lifting the restraining order?"

 _I should. But not until I talk to him, and it might be nice to have him out of the house for a few more days…_ "No, he's meeting me at work today for a little talk."

"A what?" Bella wasn't expecting this one. Her acting had been superb thus far, and I prayed she wouldn't get too flustered now.

"I talked to Carlisle this morning. I, uh, had to talk to him about the restraining order." _If she ever finds out what I thought about Phoenix, I'll never hear the end of it!_ "Anyway, Edward wanted to come and explain everything to me, so we're meeting at eleven."

"I'll come too," Bella said hopefully.

"No way. This restraining order might not be such a bad thing, you know. I'll have it lifted… in a few days. You two could use some time apart anyway."

Now Bella really was angry. "Char- Dad, it's not fair to keep us apart, now that you know he didn't do anything wrong!"

"Didn't do anything _wrong_? Bella, you could have died yesterday! It was not only irresponsible, it was reckless! An experienced hiker like Edward knows the danger on that trail, and he put _you_ in danger!"

Jasper took a step back, surprised at the sudden rise in Charlie's temper. He set his jaw as he absorbed the anger, and I could see him struggling to reduce it.

"Anyway," Charlie continued, "You really should be grounded anyway for going up there. Instead of that, I'm leaving the order in place for the rest of the week… _if_ Edward can show me he understands what a foolish choice he made yesterday."

Bella's face flushed, but she nodded obediently. "Okay, Dad. I'm sure he got the scare of his life anyway. I know _I_ did."

 _Me too, sweetheart. You'll never know how scared I was…_ but he was picturing the horrible scene of me fighting with her in the stairwell again. Thankfully, the image swirled and was replaced by the hiking scene. _Thank God I was wrong about that._

"So, uh, have a good time with Edward. I'll see you tonight."

Charlie smirked down at her. "No, I'll be back right after we have our little meeting. I'm taking the rest of the week off, kiddo. You are I are going to be spending a lot of time together, since you'll be free. _Something we haven't done enough of._ Maybe we could even go fishing!"

Bella's face didn't even twitch, but I knew she was thinking the same thing that I was: this was going to be a long week.


	7. Awkward

**EPOV**

After Bella and Charlie were done talking, he went out to do some yard work. Bella turned back toward us, looking out the window. She couldn't possibly see us, but she gave a thumbs up sign and smiled. I smiled back at her, and Jasper and I turned to go. "I'm heading home," he said. "Unless you want me to join you at the police station?"

"There's nowhere for you to hide there. I'll be fine."

Jasper gave me a long look before he disappeared into the trees. "You better be. Charlie is the Chief of Police, Edward. This needs to be wrapped up or we're going to have a big problem."

Didn't I know it.

My car was still a few blocks away, where I had left it yesterday afternoon. When I got back to it, I got in and called Alice as I started the drive home. She assured me that the forecast was looking good: Charlie was planning on giving me a sound talking-to, but she saw me shaking his hand as I left.

As I drove home, I put in my Debussy CD and allowed myself to relax. Bella had handled herself well, and I was proud her new-found acting skills. She had certainly had a lot of practice ever since she had met me. I smiled as I thought about all the times we had shared since our first visit to the meadow, the day we had first proclaimed our love. My mind flew through the happy memories- our time in the meadow yesterday, dancing with her at the Prom, our several dates where we had "shared" a meal at restaurants, the museum I had taken her to. I laughed out loud as I remembered the look on her face when Alice and I had taken her to a casino on our way back from Phoenix. To celebrate the end of the school year, I had taken her to a Seattle Symphony concert at Benaroya Hall, which she had loved. There were more private moments, too- like last week, when I had played my newest composition for her. It was a lively piece that represented her and Alice's friendship, and they had both been delighted. That same night, I had carried her out of her bedroom window, cast and all, and had surprised her with a midnight picnic in her own backyard. We had watched the stars crawl across the sky as we talked, and when Charlie asked why she was so tired the next day, Bella kept a straight face as she explained that she just couldn't put her new book down. She had gone on to tell him how the main character had taken his beloved on a midnight picnic, and how they had talked all night. I had laughed silently from her bedroom, in awe of her daring; Charlie, of course, was totally put off by the "gushy" story and left her alone after that.

We had been given so much happiness in the last few months, and my entire world had shifted. Before Bella, I had not only known what everyone was thinking, but I had known exactly what my future held. Now I was spending almost all my time with someone who whose thoughts were locked away, and she surprised me every day, not just with her silent mind, but with her love. That she had chosen _me_ …

I spent the rest of the drive planning what other outings and special surprises I could do for Bella, as soon as this wretched week was behind us. I found myself planning for events several months away, and I chided myself; that was too bold.

Would Bella still love me by the time she graduated high school? Would she still find me intriguing, or would she be ready to start looking at her future realistically? I was hoping, at most, for four or five more years with her. I would follow her to college, if she asked me; but I knew that as she matured, she would be drawn away from me, her mortal world overshadowing my mythical one. When the time came, and she found herself wanting a career, a husband, children, I wouldn't stand in her way. I would have to let her go someday, even though I knew the grief would tear me apart. Oh, I would always be there in the shadows, watching over her and her family from a distance; it would be impossible to be anywhere else. But I couldn't let her know that I was staying; she would never be able to move on that way. Her life would always be protected, and when it ended, I would quietly find a way to end mine as well.

I would keep my promise, however, and stay as long as she was happy. As long as she still wanted me. Our romance was doomed to fade in the end, but I would make sure it would not end tragically… for her. I would gently fade out of her life as she grew out of me, leaving her with sweet, hazy memories of an unearthly love.

.

.

.

An hour later, Carlisle and I were zooming down the highway in the Mercedes.

"I'm sorry all this happened, Carlisle. I'm sorry you had to be drawn into it."

Carlisle smiled genially. _Oh, Edward, it was your turn anyway. It's nice for a change to not have to scramble to move because one of your brothers made a mistake._

"Still, you did well on the phone call. Although I don't recall moping around refusing to talk to you all night."

He laughed. "Well, I had to throw something in there to make you seem human. Seventeen-year-old boys don't take everything in stride, you know. Nor do they tell their parents everything. Seriously, Edward, be careful in this meeting. You need to remember that you are Bella's teenage boyfriend, and that you've only been dating a few months. Don't let your maturity and intensity run away with you."

He slowed down as we entered the town limits. "So, Alice tells me that Bella will be doing a lot of fishing this week." I snickered at this. Bella had no idea what was in store for her; in the few moments after their conversation, I had overheard Charlie's mind bursting with plans of "father/daughter bonding time". I was going to have to be careful not to keep her up too late at night.

As we neared the police station, Charlie's thoughts came into my range. _–and he's always keeping her out too late. I should put that curfew back an hour. I want him to start telling me his plans_ before _he takes my daughter out God-knows-where for hours at a time. Carlisle may let his kids do whatever they want, but I'm not that kind of father._

I sighed, and Carlisle raised his eyebrows. "Charlie's still angry," I explained. "Maybe we should have picked a different alibi, that _didn't_ involve me almost letting her die."

"Too late for that. Besides, Alice assured me that it was best to keep Charlie a little angry at you – otherwise he might keep speculating about your more… unique aspects. Taking Bella out on the pass was a mistake that a normal boyfriend would make. I'll help you out, though."

We both got out of the car. "What do you have in mind?" I asked.

He grinned, showing his teeth. "Good dad, bad dad." He began mentally scrolling through the Arabic medical dictionary, and I rolled my eyes at him. I hated surprises, and he knew it.

As we walked into the station, he ran his hand through his hair and sighed dramatically. "And another thing, Edward," he complained loudly, "You need to talk to me when life gets tough. Sitting in your room all night blasting your music didn't get you anywhere, did it? If you had come to your mother and me, you wouldn't be in this mess in the first place. Now I'm going to be late for my meeting, and you can _walk_ home." He let the door swing shut behind him, and I had to let it slam into me, stumbling back a step as I caught it.

The receptionist and the few people milling around gave Carlisle a knowing look. _Teenagers_ , the receptionist thought as she shook her head. I glared at Carlisle as soon as she looked away. Alice had put a bit of blush on his cheeks, and the "inconvenienced father look" was quite convincing.

"Laying it on a bit thick, aren't you?" I muttered under my breath as Carlisle spoke to the receptionist about my appointment, but he just chuckled mentally.

_I'm just getting started. It's not often I get to do this, you know._

Hilarious.

A door opened and Charlie beckoned to us. Carlisle stood up and shook his hand. "I finally got the story out of Edward, Charlie. He took her hiking yesterday-"

Charlie glared at me. "I know what he did. Bella told me everything too."

"And let me assure you, nothing like this will _ever_ happen again," Carlisle said sharply, looking back at me. I hung my head and nodded. He turned back to Charlie. "Edward's grounded the rest of the week, and I'm taking away his car keys for the next month. He's _very_ sorry."

I snapped my head up at the car bit, and Charlie smirked at me. Carlisle was taking this too far! _Relax, Edward,_ he thought to me as he continued speaking with Charlie. _He needs to see me taking a firm hand with you, and I needed a genuine reaction. If he sees me coming down hard on you, he's more likely to take it easy himself. You can use the Aston Martin for the rest of the month, anyway._ I fought back a smile. Carlisle was right, but I still thought he was enjoying himself a bit too much. Now he was telling Charlie some ridiculous story about how I had gotten in trouble at my last school for correcting one of my teachers in front of the whole class… in the middle of an exam.

Charlie shook Carlisle's hand again. "I'll take it from here. Thanks for bringing him down… and I'm sorry about the misunderstanding."

"No harm done. This will teach them both a lesson about following the rules... _and_ about being honest with their parents," Carlisle said as he turned to leave, flashing a grin at me behind Charlie's back.

I shuffled behind Charlie into his office, closing the door behind me. He motioned for me to sit, and he sat behind his desk, leaning back in his chair. "Now," he said sharply, "I want you to tell me everything that happened yesterday." _And it had better match up with Bella's story._

I went through the story of how I had called her from the road and heard about her shoulder bruise, about how I found her dusting in the house- all of which was true. Then I went on with the account of our impromptu hike and the accident that resulted. "After it happened, Bella's arm was hurting, and that's why we came home when we did; to get an ice pack. Bella told me she keeps several in the freezer for situations like these."

Charlie didn't crack a smile, so I cleared my throat and continued. "Bella put the sweater on because she didn't want you to see the mark on her arm, and find out that we had gone to the pass. I was trying to tell you about it, but you asked me to leave." I dropped my eyes in contrition. "I realize now that it was a very dangerous thing to do. I've gone there several times with my family, but I didn't think about Bella's lack of experience, and I swear I didn't know you had forbidden her to go there. She didn't tell me that."

I hated to pin some of the blame on Bella, but I had to deflect some of Charlie's anger if I ever wanted him to trust me again. I also did this because it seemed like the sort of immature thing that a teenager would say.

"I'm not surprised," he admitted. "Bella's a sweet girl, but she can get her way when she wants to." _You know, it's weird. For someone who loves to hike, and just went hunting all weekend, you think this kid would get a tan sometime. Come to think of it, Carlisle's pretty pale too, considering what time of year it is. Maybe since he's a doctor, he's nervous about skin cancer, and makes them all wear gallons of sunblock._

I shifted in my chair. Charlie had Bella's ability to notice details, and I didn't like the direction that his thoughts were headed. I hurried to continue speaking.

"Anyway, sir, I just want to apologize for putting her in danger. Bella means the world to me, and I wouldn't be able to live with myself if… if anything happened to her. I've never been so scared in my life." I let him hear the fear in my voice; it was real enough, after all. The only lie was that I was remembering finding her in the ballet studio, not catching her on the side of a cliff.

 _Yeah, she's pretty crazy about you, too. I just wish this wasn't happening so young._ "Edward, let me tell you something. When you love someone…" Renee rose to the front of his thoughts. "When you love someone, you want to do everything in the world to make them happy. And sometimes, they want you to do things that aren't in their best interest. Sometimes the most loving thing you can do is to say no."

"Yes, sir."

Charlie visibly relaxed in his chair, but his thoughts were still on Renee. It seemed that it had been Charlie's idea to get married, but his parents had advised them to wait. Renee had convinced him to speed things along, and he blamed himself for the poor outcome. Now he was picturing Bella in a wedding dress, and I was standing in front of her in a tuxedo, grinning down at my bride as I held both her hands in mine.

I wasn't prepared for the image, and the beauty of it blew my mind. My breath caught in my throat as I watched the scene unfold in Charlie's mind. Bella was radiant, and as he imagined me placing a ring on her finger, I gripped the rails of my chair to keep from jumping up in protest.

It wasn't like marrying Bella had never occurred to me. It had. Ever since the day I had fallen in love with her, I had been plagued by daydreams of the life I wished we could have together; marriage, our first house, children… growing old together.

But in each of my daydreams, we were both human. The thought of marrying Bella in this reality was forbidden, it was… it was irreverent. To think that I could truly make her mine, and doom her into a lifetime alongside my non-life… it was unthinkable. I had never allowed the daydreams to last more than an instant, and I certainly had never pictured us smiling at our wedding, like Charlie was now. In his mind, Bella was flushed with joy, whereas I was smiling in my cold, unchanging way. His thoughts shifted, and now there was a child in Bella's arms. A strangled sound erupted from my throat, and Charlie frowned at me.

"You okay?"

"I'm fine, I just… I'm fine." I swallowed and forced myself to release my grip on the chair. I had to get a hold of myself. That future wasn't for me.

"Anyway, I'm going to lift the restraining order early next week. You can see her again after that, but I'd like you guys to cool it a little. I don't think it's healthy for Bella to spend so much time alone with you. I'd like to see her branch out, spend some time with other friends." Jacob Black ran across his mind, and I ground my teeth as I forced myself to nod.

"I know you're crazy about each other right now. It's just that you two are so _inseparable_. When she was in the hospital in Phoenix, I don't think I saw you leave her room once. It was a little intense, you have to admit." _It was a little weird, is what it was._

"I know. It's just that… Bella's everything to me, sir. I don't know how else to explain it."

Charlie frowned, remembering how Bella had used the same words about me last night. Remembering my tireless devotion in the hospital. Remembering the love in my eyes as I had watched Bella sleep. Remembering the love he had felt for Renee in the beginning, how they couldn't wait until-

"Edward, are you sleeping with my daughter?"

I blinked. I hadn't seen _that_ one coming. "No, sir. Never."

He leaned back further in his chair, rubbing his chin. "I wouldn't be too surprised, I just want you to be honest with me." _Just tell me the truth, kid. I won't kill you… maybe._ A hint of a smirk twisted at the corner of his lips. He was enjoying his power trip now.

I swallowed. "I only have honorable intentions toward Bella, sir. I swear it on my life." Such as it was.

 _He's so weird sometimes- nobody talks like that anymore. Why won't he just admit he's sleeping with her? I'm not an idiot. If only there was a way to…_ His thoughts tangled for a moment, and then he was picturing the back room of the police station. _Well, am I the Chief of Police or not?_ An ugly smirk twisted up the corner of his mouth, and I swallowed as I tried desperately to see what was so significant about the room he was picturing.

My phone buzzed in my pocket, but I couldn't answer it; not while Charlie was staring at me like this. I slipped my hand into my pocket and turned up the volume, so that if it were to ring again, he would be able to hear it. I had a bad feeling about this.

"Edward," he said slowly, "Would you be willing to take a polygraph test?"

An icy chill gripped my heart. There was no right answer to that question! I didn't even have a pulse! "A what, sir?"

"You know, a lie detector test. It would help get the restraining order lifted." He was watching me intently as he lied. He didn't need the test to lift the order, but now that he had thought of it, he was determined to get me to do it. He was thinking now of all the questions he'd like to ask. Was I sleeping with Bella? Had I ever hurt her? Had I ever done drugs? Why was my family so isolated?

"Um… I'm pretty sure you need my parents' permission for that." How was I going to get out of this?! I really should have brought Jasper along. He could have just stayed in the waiting room.

"So, you're _not_ willing. What are you afraid of?" _Gotcha._

"I'm not afraid, sir. I'll take the test." I had a clear picture of the machine from his mind, now, and I could see some wires sticking out of the back. Maybe if was fast enough, I would be able to yank the wires out and disable the machine. I would have to distract him first. Charlie nodded, and we both stood up. My phone rang again, loudly this time.

"I'm sorry, sir. That's my emergency ringtone." I pulled the phone to my ear, and Alice's voice was racing at top speed.

"Edward! It won't work. He knows how to fix the machine. Say there's an emergency! Say anything! Get out of there NOW!"

I twisted my face into an expression of shock, and said the first thing I could think of. "Are you sure?! Is she all right?" I waited for a moment, and ended the call, letting my hands tremble as I closed the phone. I turned back to Charlie, my face stricken. "I'm sorry, I've got to go! My mom was in a car accident!"

"Oh man, I'm sorry. I'll take you to the-" but I was already out the door.

That had been too close.


	8. Disappearance

**BPOV**

I sat at the kitchen table, tapping my foot nervously as I waited for Charlie to get home. When he had left to go meet Edward, he had still been angry. What would he say when he got home? The phone rang, and I jumped up to get it, taking care _not_ to crash into the counter.

"Hello?"

"Bella." Edward's voice was cold, and my heart sank.

"It didn't go well?"

"Yes and no. Listen, Charlie's on his way back there, so I'll explain everything tonight. For the rest of the day, don't mention me too much, all right? Alice thinks everything will be all right, but Charlie needs to see us taking it easy for a while. Just go along with whatever he wants to do today."

"Okay…"

"I'll be there tonight. Oh, and Alice says to tell you to check your arm." I peeked down at my elbow, and sure enough, I had smeared off most of the makeup, revealing the burn underneath. It was still pink today, but now there were tiny blisters dotting it.

"I'll take care of it. I love you."

"I love you, too. Remember what I said about Charlie." The line went dead and I hurried upstairs to fix my makeup.

.

.

.

Edward explained everything to me that night, and the next four days were a blur of tension mixed with boredom. Charlie and I fishing. Charlie and I watching sports, movies. Charlie and I playing cards. Charlie and I working in the yard together. I had thought he would ease up, thinking Esme had been hurt, but I didn't ask. I was furious at first, but I couldn't let him see that; I wasn't supposed to know what had happened at the police station. But I couldn't stay mad; and if I was honest with myself, I did enjoy some of my time alone with Charlie. But I lived for the nights, when I would finally see Edward climbing in the window.

Alice was keeping a close eye on things, and each night Edward assured me that Charlie hadn't decided to take any further action, and she saw us together next week, smiling in the daylight as we walked hand in hand through the forest.

Charlie was more than happy to let me go to the movies with Angela on Friday, and when I met her at the theater, I was surprised to find she was not alone. Ben was there, as well as Mike and Jessica. Then there was me, the fifth wheel.

"Sorry, Bella – I forgot to tell you everyone else was coming. Why don't you call Edward?" Angela asked kindly.

"Oh, he's busy tonight," I said too quickly. Four stares and blushes told me what I didn't want to know; the police scanners in Forks were alive and kicking.

"Thought so," Mike said under his breath, earning a kick from Jessica.

We went into the movie, and I looked around a few times, hoping to catch a glimpse of Edward lurking in the shadows, but I tried not to be disappointed. I should have known that he wouldn't risk it. If anyone were to see him, I had no doubt the Chief of Police would hear about it.

Angela seemed like she was distracted by Ben the whole time, but when I slipped out for a soda refill, she followed me out. As we stood in line, she kept opening her mouth and shutting it again, unsure of what to say. Finally I put her out of her misery.

"Go ahead, Angela. Say it."

She looked at me with pity. "I don't want to believe the rumors, but…" her eyes flickered over the exposed areas of my skin, searching for evidence. She didn't find any; Alice had provided me with a new color of makeup that hid everything completely. It was all "healed".

"That's all they are. Rumors. Okay?"

She looked unsure. "I mean, if you ever need to talk about it…"

"Angela! Edward's a gentleman, and you know it. Do you seriously think he would hurt me?"

"No, you're right. Sorry."

"So, you and Ben are looking good together…"

Her face broke into a smile, and she nodded. Edward had told me about his little part in how their romance had begun, but I would never say anything. Angela was probably my best human friend, and I was happy to see _her_ so happy. I loved her, and we had gotten together several times this summer. She had been pretty before, but now the blush of being in love made her beautiful, radiant. Over the last few weeks, she had shyly confided in me as she and Ben had become even closer; they were even planning to apply to the same colleges. I wished that I could tell her everything in return, but I knew that could never happen. I wished I didn't have to pretend that Edward was just another high school boyfriend. I wished I could tell her that everything had taken on a new light since I had met him. And since the day I had learned that he returned my love, the whole world had blossomed into color. Everything was new, and I wondered if it was the same for Angela. I felt a strange mix of pity and envy. She and Ben had so many _normal_ things to look forward to, and I didn't. That future wasn't for me anymore. I didn't _want_ it anymore. I felt a little sorry for Ben and Angela; they would only have one short lifetime together.

I hadn't brought up my request to Edward in a while, but he knew what I wanted. It was the only thing I would ever ask him for, and it was impossible for him to refuse me forever. Once he saw how miserable I would be about growing older beside him, he wouldn't be able to put off the choice any longer; he would change me or leave me. And I had his promise – no, his word- that he would stay as long as it made me happy. I felt a stab of worry when I remembered his qualification. He had said _as long as it's what's best for you_. It gave him an out, but even he couldn't deny how happy he made me. No matter how much he tortured himself over his identity, his thirst, his past… he couldn't deny that he was the brightest part of my life. Earlier this week, I had truly been afraid that he and his family would have to leave after the handprint incident, and that he would be forced to make a premature decision about his future with me. And I had been even more worried after he evaded my request to take me with him.

But the danger was past. Edward assured me that Charlie was still going to lift the restraining order on Monday, and it seemed that Esme's "accident" had distracted him from his interrogation. After all, in the end Edward had agreed to take the lie detector test, and that was really all that Charlie needed to hear anyway. Edward could be trusted…. just not for the reasons that he thought.

.

.

.

It was mid-afternoon on Saturday, and Charlie had run in to work to get some paperwork done. I was kneeling on the kitchen floor, picking through the produce drawer in the fridge. I had been pampering Charlie all week with his favorite dinners, and I was sick of cheese and ground beef. He was getting a salad tonight. _And he deserves it_ , I thought coldly as I kicked the drawer shut, my arms full of vegetables.

As I stood up, I heard the front door open. "Done already, Dad?" I called as I piled the salad stuff on the counter. But there was a swish of cold air, and I was in Edward's arms before I knew what was happening. He was looking over my whole body frantically, and his eyes were black.

"What are you doing here?" I hissed. "We only have two days to go. What if one of the neighbors saw you come in?"

"Are you feeling all right?" he demanded. Now he was checking my pulse, feeling my forehead. This was different…

"I'm fine. Are _you_ feeling all right?"

His shoulders relaxed, and his eyes began to fade back to gold. He kissed my forehead, letting his cold lips linger for a moment. Then he whipped out his cell phone , which was already on.

"She's fine. Is it gone?"

He was silent for a second, and then his brow furrowed again as he looked back down at me.

"I'm standing right beside her, Alice. She's _fine_."

He ended the call after a moment, and leaned against the counter, folding his arms. He was statue-like in his stillness as he continued staring at me.

" _What_?"

He just stared.

"Okay, you're starting to freak me out, and Charlie's going to be home in like two minutes. Will you _please_ tell me what's wrong?"

"Alice seems to think that you're going to die in less than an hour."

"Excuse me?"

"Charlie too. What were your plans tonight?"

"I'm making a salad. Even _I_ couldn't possibly blow myself up doing that. I wasn't even going to use the oven tonight." I laid the lettuce on the cutting board, and opened the knife drawer. As I pulled out the huge chef's knife, Edward's eyes grew wide and he snatched it from me.

I rolled my eyes. "Edward, I've been cooking for a long time, and I doubt that I'm going to accidentally impale both myself _and_ my father while chopping lettuce." I gently pried the knife out of his fingers. "Now what exactly did Alice see?"

He frowned. "Nothing."

"What do you mean, nothing?"

"She was checking on Charlie's future, and in the next hour, it just vanishes. Nothing. She checked on you, and saw the same thing."

"So, how exactly does that translate into instant death?"

He unfolded his arms and ran his hand through his hair. "There's no future for either of you, after five o'clock. Nothing tonight, nothing tomorrow. You're both _gone_."

"Well… we aren't planning on doing anything tonight other than dinner and watching baseball. I'll probably read while he watches the game. Does Alice ever have… you know, hallucinations? Wrong visions?"

"Her visions often don't come true, but that's only because someone changes their mind. But this is different. She's never seen someone just _vanish_ before. She's seen people die, but never this."

"So she _didn't_ see me die."

"Well, no… we just assumed that's what it was." He was finally relaxing now, and I turned back to work on the lettuce. "Maybe something's wrong with Alice," he mused as he watched me work. "But everyone else's future was fine-" He cut off, cocking his head to the side, listening. "Charlie's almost home. Promise me you won't do anything dangerous tonight?"

I grinned mischievously. "Well, I _was_ planning on chopping some wood later…" That finally got a hint of a smile out of him.

"I'm not going far. I'll stay in your room unless I hear him coming up," he said as he headed toward the stairs. I shook my head and continued with my salad. Life was never dull when you're dating a vampire.

A minute later, Charlie came in. "Hey," he said as he tossed the mail onto the table. When he saw the pile of vegetables on the counter, he frowned. "Salad, huh?" he asked mournfully.

I opened my mouth with some smart comment, but the phone rang, and Charlie answered it. A minute later, he was grinning. "Just in time. Bella was making a _salad_ for dinner… yeah, I'll bring the beer. Five okay?" After a minute he hung up. "Sorry, Bells, but the salad will have to wait. Billy invited me over for fish fry and then we're going to watch the game."

"Okay, I'll just have some leftovers. Have a good time."

His eyes narrowed. "Oh, no you don't. This is bonding week, remember? You're coming, too. Anyway, you haven't seen Jake in a while." I didn't like the eagerness in his voice when he mentioned Jacob. I just nodded and gathered the vegetables back up. So much for a healthy dinner… but I would get him back tomorrow.

"Since I won't have time later, I'm going to go fold my laundry now," I said, grabbing the laundry basket as I headed up to my room.

"Okay, but I want to leave soon," Charlie yelled up the stairs. "I want you kids to have plenty of hang out time!" Great. Now Charlie wanted to play matchmaker. This week couldn't end soon enough.

When I reached my room, I found Edward sitting on the bed, deep in a whispered conversation on his cell phone. He wrapped up the call and frowned up at me.

"I don't think you should go."

"Why not? We're just going to have dinner at Billy's."

"Bella, we still don't know what Alice's vision means. I'm not letting you out of my sight until after you survive five o'clock."

"So follow us. There's plenty of woods running through the reservation. You could get close enough to listen."

"You know I can't do that."

"Why not? I know the Quileutes don't want you guys to come there, but it's not like they would _know_ you were there."

"It's not possible, Bella. The treaty stands. I _can't_ violate it. Not even to protect you."

"You mean there's an actual treaty?" When Jacob had told me about the history between his people and the Cold Ones, I hadn't been able to separate fact from fiction- even though he had unknowingly been right about the Cullens, the rest of it was pure mythology. It's not like there were actual _werewolves_ back then. I had just assumed the "treaty" was an exaggeration as well.

"Of course- it was drawn in 1936. I thought Jacob Black told you."

"I thought it was just another exaggeration. You know, like the werewolf thing."

Edward's face was suddenly inscrutable. It reminded me of how he had looked the first time we were in Port Angeles, the night when he finally told me the truth. "I didn't realize… I thought you more of the story. My family- Jasper and Alice excluded- had just moved to the Olympic Peninsula at the time, and when the… the elders realized what we were, the treaty was drawn so that we could stay in the area. There's no expiration on a treaty like _that_."

"But that was almost seventy years ago! None of those same people could still be there to remember you."

"That doesn't matter. The Quileutes have a long memory, as a people. I'm sure you've noticed that Jacob's father knows about us."

I felt a chill rush over me as I remembered. Billy _did_ know. Did any of the others?

"How _did_ they know what you were? Back in 1936, I mean?"

His lips twitched up at the corners. "I'll tell you the story sometime. But can't you get out of the dinner tonight?"

"What am I supposed to say? That I don't want to go because my boyfriend's fortune-telling sister saw my future disappear around dinnertime? And that you can't come protect me, since you're a vampire and that would be violating the treaty, enacted by you and your family seventy years ago?"

"I see your point."

"Look, I'll be careful, okay? We can't possibly get into a car accident, since we'll be in the cruiser. And the reservation is one of the safest places around. And Billy's an old friend – I used to play at his house in the summers, when I was little. Jacob and I-"

"Bells! Let's get going, okay?" Charlie yelled from downstairs.

"Be there in a second, Dad!" I yelled back. Turning to Edward, I dropped my voice back to a whisper. "So, to review, Billy knows about you guys. Jacob doesn't. Anything else I need to know?"

His frown deepened. "I suppose not. I still wish you weren't going, though. I'll be as close to the treaty line as I can. And take this," he added, holding his cell phone out to me. "I'll run home and get Alice's. Call her phone if anything – and I mean _anything_ \- seems off, all right?"

"I will."

He pulled me close, breathing in my scent, and I felt his kiss on the top of my hair. "Please, be careful, Bella. _Please_." I nodded into his shoulder, and pulled away. As I walked out of the room, I looked back, but the window was open and I was alone.


	9. Friends

**BPOV**

I turned off the cell phone and stuck it in my pocket as I headed down the stairs. The last thing I needed was for it to ring and for Charlie to wonder where I had gotten it from.

We drove in silence, as we usually did. Riding in the car with Charlie was like going in slow motion, after being in Edward's car. I wasn't that worried about Alice's vision, but I kept an eye on the clock, noticing that it was just hitting five as we crossed into the reservation. I made a mental note to call Edward as soon as I could get a minute alone, just to reassure him.

I felt a rush of nostalgia as we pulled up to the little house. Long-forgotten memories came back to me – sitting in the front yard with Jacob, making mud pies, other kids riding by on their bikes, the smell of fish crackling as it fried- but that wasn't just a memory. We headed right for the kitchen, and Jacob was just turning over a fillet in its pan. His eyes lit up when he saw me.

"Bella! I didn't know you were coming too. I mean, I'm glad you came…" His brown cheeks took on a blush and he turned back to the fish.

"Hey, Jake!" said Charlie enthusiastically. "Yeah, Bella and I are sort of having a father-daughter week, so here she is. You haven't been here in ages, have you, Bells?"

"Nope." I glanced around the kitchen, which was just as I remembered it. There was an old card table in the middle of the room, with three chairs around it, and although the walls had been repainted, it was the same pale green as before. There was the same wolf painting on the wall over the table, and the same ancient yellow refrigerator. The only noticeable difference was Jacob himself, who was even taller than he had been at prom – he had to be at least an inch taller than Edward by now, and his shoulders were filling out. His jet-black hair was a river down his back, contrasting with the white shirt he wore.

"Good grief, Jake," I muttered. "What are you eating, Miracle Gro?"

He blushed again and straightened up even taller as he continued cooking. Soon, Billy rolled into the room and pulled up to the side of the table that didn't have a chair. "It's good to see you again, Bella." His voice was kind, but his eyes were watching me intently. I glanced down to my arm, to make sure the makeup was still covering everything; it was fine.

"You too, Billy. It's nice to be back here again."

Jacob brought the platter of fish to the table, and soon Charlie and Billy were chatting comfortably, leaving the two of us to fend for ourselves.

"So," he finally said, "how has the summer been for you so far? I see your leg is finally out of prison."

"Great. I just got the cast off a few days ago. The doctors had to leave it on so long because it was taking too long to heal. What about you? Did you get the car finished?"

He chuckled. "No, that's kind of an ongoing project. No end in sight yet… but I enjoy it anyway. Hey, you wanna take a look at it after we eat?"

I nodded. I would do pretty much anything to get away from Billy and his well-meaning stare. While we ate, he kept watching me curiously. Did _he_ expect me to fall over dead any minute, too?

"So, Charlie," he said around a mouthful of fish, "Everything alright down in Forks? Heard there was some trouble with one of the local kids. One of those Cullens, wasn't it?"

Charlie scowled at him. "It was all a misunderstanding. The Cullens are great, and they've been nothing but kind to Bella."

"So you're still… seeing one of them?" he asked me. It sounded like an accusation.

" _Dad_ ," grumbled Jacob.

"Yes, I'm still dating Edward. And his family is _great_." Take that.

Billy just shrugged, but Charlie suddenly looked guilty. "I really should call them, or something," he said quietly. "Dr. Cullen's wife was in a car accident earlier this week. I didn't even think to check up and see how she was doing."

I remembered, after a second, to act surprised. "Esme got hurt?" I asked angrily. "Why didn't you tell me? Is she all right?"

Billy snorted, shaking his head. "I'm sure she's fine," he said to himself.

"What's that supposed to mean? Did you see her in the hospital or something?" asked Charlie.

Billy just glanced over at Jacob, who was doing his best to ignore his father. "Charlie, I seriously doubt she went to the _hospital_."

"Why wouldn't she?"

"I just don't think that she would," Billy answered mysteriously. There was a thump under the table; Jacob had kicked his wheelchair.

Now Charlie was getting annoyed. "Look, just because you don't let your relatives go to the hospital, doesn't mean _everyone_ needs to boycott it. What is it that you have against the Cullens, anyway?"

I glanced over at Jacob, who was already staring at me. "Dad," he said loudly, "I think Bella and I are going to have a look at the Rabbit. Could you _please_ try to act normal by the time we come back?" We both stood up and headed out the door.

"Man, I am _really_ sorry about that. He's been even weirder than usual lately," he said as soon as the door swung shut.

"It's all right. I just don't see how he really believes that legend stuff. What are they supposed to be again? Zombies?"

"Vampires. Uh, Bella? You never said anything to Charlie about that, did you?" He looked a little nervous.

"Of course not! It's hard enough getting your dad to let you date someone. Can you imagine if he found out that Edward was secretly a vampire?" I opened my eyes wider and wiggled my fingers, and Jacob doubled over laughing at my attempt to look scary. I laughed along with him, and I hoped that the sound was drowning out the pounding of my heart. At least it looked like Jake still didn't believe the legend.

Jacob folded his arms, looking superior. "Well, as your friend, I have to say that I don't think you should be dating a vampire. It's not healthy, you know." He smirked at me, and there was a bit of an awkward silence.

"Well, I've still got all my blood. Besides, with the way I've seen Edward eat, I don't think he has room for it, anyway," I said casually. I was getting better at this. "Hey, speaking of Edward, do you mind if I make a quick call? It won't take a second."

He shrugged. I glanced back at the house, ducking behind the shed before I pulled the phone out of my pocket.

"Charlie doesn't want you to call him?" asked Jacob, grinning widely.

"It's a long story," I sighed as I turned on the phone, dismayed to find several missed calls from Alice's phone. I quickly dialed the number.

"Bella! Is that you?" Edward's voice was trembling.

"Yeah. It's at least 5:20 now so…. just thought you'd like to know we got here okay." Jacob was just inside the shed, and I didn't want to say too much.

"I don't understand. According to Alice, you don't exist right now. She's getting little glimpses here and there, but mostly nothing. I'm glad you're all right… I'll see you tonight when you get back home."

"Okay, see you then… love you." I ended the call just as Jacob reappeared in the doorway.

"So, you have to check in with him everywhere you go?" he smirked. "Or just when you visit enemy territory?"

"Funny. Keep the phone thing between us, okay? Charlie doesn't know I have it."

"Hey, you kept my secret. It's what friends do, right?"

"Right. So, how about that Rabbit?"

We headed into the shed and I was surprised to see how well-organized Jacob kept everything. The car itself took up most of the space, but the walls were lined with homemade shelves, each with neat rows of tools, parts, and supplies. Jacob already had a new smear of grease down one of his arms, and he had just tied back his hair. He cheerfully handed me a wrench.

"What am I supposed to do with this?" I asked, eyeing the tool suspiciously.

"Just hold it still… here." He pulled my hand down so the wrench was gripping a bolt near the tire well, and when I nodded, he scooted himself under the car. A moment later, I felt tension on the wrench and had to use both hands to keep it still.

For the few hours, I played mechanic's assistant and we caught up on what we had been doing since we last saw each other at prom. At one point, Jacob grew so quiet that I swung my head down to see if he had fallen asleep under the car.

"Just wondering about something," he muttered under his breath.

"I'll bite. What is it?"

"It's just… he's not really beating you up, is he? Because if he is…" His voice was suddenly tight.

I groaned. "Not you, too! I thought I left that rumor in Forks for the evening."

"Hey, we have police scanners on the rez too. And don't deny it. I know the cops got sent out to their house on Tuesday."

"Listen, I'm only going to say this once, okay? Nobody is hurting me. I am the clumsiest person in town, and I got a couple extra bumps on Tuesday, and it made Charlie suspicious. So he issued a restraining order until he could get it figured out. It was all cleared up by the next morning anyway."

"And the father-daughter week?"

"Charlie is leaving the order in effect until Monday, just to be annoying. So until then, he gets me all to himself."

"Well… except for right now." He was grinning again.

"I guess so. Anyway, thanks for showing me around the Rabbit. You have a nice setup here." Jacob had put his tools back in their places, and he pulled the shed door shut behind us after we walked out. I was surprised to see how late it was; the sun was low, and the mosquitoes were already out.

"Anytime. And next time your boyfriend gets arrested or something, come on back over. You look _good_ in grease." He pointed to my shirt, which was covered with streaks of dirt and oil.

"I'll remember that," I laughed, trying to brush off some of the dirt. We headed back toward the house, where Charlie was helping Billy clean up the remnants of unhealthy snacks from their game night. When we walked into the living room, Charlie and Billy looked at each other and burst out laughing.

"Sorry, Bells. It's just… I've never seen you so _dirty_ before!"

"Well, I've had enough of baseball, so I helped Jacob work on his car for a while. Good game?"

He nodded, and Jacob walked us out to the cruiser. "Hope to see you again soon, Bella. I had a really good time tonight." He reached out and gave me a quick hug. I smiled and waved goodbye as I got into the car. Charlie was thoughtfully quiet on the way home, and it made me a little nervous; what had he and Billy been talking about?

By the time we pulled up to the house, it was dusk, and I yawned loudly as we got out. "I have _got_ to get a shower. I don't think I'm cut out to be a mechanic," I said.

"Looks like Jake might be, though. Billy says he spends hours every day out in that shed. Well, I'm glad you two had a good time."

"Yeah, we did. It was nice seeing him again." I headed up the stairs and slipped into my room. Edward was waiting for me, and his face broke into a huge grin when I walked in.

"What happened to _you_?" he asked, eyeing my shirt.

I handed him back his phone. "I found my inner mechanic, and she wants a shower." He chuckled and pulled me close for a kiss, but after a moment he pulled away, wrinkling his nose.

"You only went to Billy's house, right?" He leaned down and laid his nose on the fabric at my shoulder, inhaling deeply. He frowned.

"That's it. Well, actually, I spent most of the time in the shed working on Jacob's car. Well, helping him work on it. Why, do I stink like oil?"

"Mm." He ignored my question, sniffing my hair now. He straightened up, his face clearing into a smile. "Well, Alice just called a few minutes ago. You're alive again, apparently."

"Oh! Well, good. I'm glad she's feeling… better?"

"We all are. I think I'm going to run home and change while you clean up. But first…" He suddenly swung me up in the air and carried me over to the rocking chair, where he sat down, holding me, "first tell me how a nice girl like you ended up becoming a mechanic." He rocked me while I began to tell him about my evening. When I got to the part about Billy's comments regarding Esme, he stopped rocking and frowned.

"Billy should be more careful with what he says. It's bad enough that his son is going around breaking the treaty- not that I mind," he said, pulling me closer. "If Jacob hadn't told you about the legends, things might have gone very differently."

"It's true. I'm glad he told me, too. Hey, speaking of legends, aren't you supposed to tell me the story about how you made the treaty?"

"I will, tonight." I climbed off his lap and we both stood up. "I'll be back by ten," he promised. "That way you and Charlie can have a little bonding time. He's thinking about asking you to play Rummy again."

I let out a long-suffering sigh. "I'll see you tonight," I whispered as he slipped out of the window.


	10. Enemies

**A/N: Special thanks to Helen Mira, who helped me work out a few of the details for this chapter. If you haven't been following her current stories,** **_Jewel in the Crown_ ** **and** **_A World Full of Strangers,_ ** **go check them out.**

**EPOV**

As I ran home, I was still trying to place the scent that I had picked up on Bella's clothes and hair. I could distinguish motor oil, sweat, and the oily odor of fish, as well as Bella's natural scent and that of her shampoo. But lingering over all the others was a new, bitter stench that I couldn't quite recognize. It seemed familiar, but off somehow…

I slowed to a walk as I approached the front porch. There was a new door, freshly painted; no sign remained of my blunder earlier this week. And as Bella's burns healed, the terrible events of this past Tuesday began to seem surreal. Had we really come that close to being exposed? I had spent most of Wednesday standing in the woods by Bella's house, listening warily to Charlie's thoughts, certain that any minute he would decide to call Carlisle and ask for permission to conduct the polygraph test on me. But it seemed that Esme's "car accident" had come at a good time; he seemed to feel guilty about his interrogation now, and his thoughts had been focusing on me less and less as the days passed. It had still been a difficult week, being apart from Bella most of the time; at least she and Charlie tended to stay at home, where I was able to be near her. I just had to hold on for two more days, and things could begin returning to normal. After the fright Alice had given me this afternoon… I shuddered as I remembered the fearful hour that I had spent standing near La Push, waiting for Bella's call. I didn't approach the treaty line to stand vigil, as I had been planning to do. I stayed a couple of miles back; I could cover the extra distance quickly if I needed to, and I didn't think Carlisle would have wanted me any closer. So I just stood there uselessly, trying not to imagine all the accidents and catastrophes Bella was capable of getting herself into. I had become lax in my role as her protector; her temporary disability had made her life a little safer for a while, and I had forgotten what a danger magnet she was.

As soon as it was 5:01, I couldn't stand to wait any longer, and I started calling my cell phone. I knew she had probably turned it off, but each time I failed to get an answer, my worry rose higher and higher in my throat until I couldn't breathe anymore. After Bella finally called to reassure me, I had left and returned to her bedroom to wait, where I was still a nervous wreck until Alice called to tell me that Bella had reappeared in her visions; it was only a few minutes later that Charlie and Bella had returned home. Thankfully, I had heard Charlie's thoughts when they were still a mile out; I had been able to force myself into a relaxed pose by the time Bella got upstairs. I was calmer now; her presence was like a drug, and having seen her back at home safely, the world was right side up again.

I opened the new door to find the house unusually quiet. I headed upstairs to Carlisle's study, and tapped on the door.

"Come in, Edward," he called softly.

I wanted to get back to Bella quickly; I got right down to business. "Bella asked me today about the treaty with the Quileutes," I told him.

"She did? How much does she know?"

"It was Jacob Black who told her what we were, though he told it as a superstitious legend. That was several months ago, and it hasn't really come up since then. But today she was visiting Billy and Jacob, and I had to explain why I couldn't follow her." He nodded in understanding. "Carlisle, I'd like your permission to tell Bella a little more about our… history with the tribe."

He shrugged. "I don't see why not, as long as she understands the sensitivity of the information. Anyway, the treaty of nondisclosure is already broken in her case – and not by us. Are you going to tell her about the wolves?"

I hadn't decided yet about this. It was obvious Bella hadn't believed this part of Jacob's ghost story; he certainly hadn't believed it himself. It had been a while since Bella had learned anything new about our supernatural world, and I didn't want to frighten her. Of course, she had a strange tendency to take that sort of thing in stride- and it would be nice to be fully honest with her about our position in Forks.

"Yes, I think so."

"Well, it's ancient history, anyway," Carlisle said casually. I nodded in agreement. When we had first moved back to Forks two years ago, we spent our first few weeks on high alert, expecting one of the werewolves to send us some sort of warning, or demand a meeting. When we didn't hear anything, Carlisle and I spent several nights scoping out the territory on our side of the treaty line; we could find no evidence of werewolf scent. We decided that the wolves must had died out, leaving no progeny, but we all agreed to continue respecting the treaty nonetheless. We were never contacted by anyone from the tribe, although we heard rumors of their unhappiness with our presence. Some of the older leaders seemed to know what we were, but judging from Jacob's case, it seemed they were allowing the truth to pass into legend. _We_ weren't going to argue with that.

"Alice and Jasper are heading out that way right now," Carlisle said, leaning back in his office chair. "She has a theory about her unusual visions earlier today."

"Is Alice clear on the boundary lines? You know she's never been down there before."

"Yes, I got out a map and drew all the treaty lines for them before they left."

"So, what's her theory?"

"Bella and Charlie's disappearance and reappearance in her visions seemed to correspond to when they entered and exited the reservation. She thinks it may have something to do with either the land itself, or… the people living there," he said meaningfully. I wanted to ask what he meant by _that_ , but just then, the front door opened.

"We're home," Jasper murmured from downstairs. Carlisle and I joined them in the living room.

"I was right. Almost the entire reservation is a huge blank. It's like no one is living there," reported Alice.

"Almost?" I asked.

"I can see some of the people living on the fringes. I tried focusing on various areas inside the reservation, but for the most part, there was nothing."

"That confirms the theory we were discussing before," Carlisle told her. "The same force that created the werewolves back then must have also created some sort of protective field around the reservation –perhaps it's there because there aren't any wolves anymore."

"No… I think we were wrong about that," she answered. "When I was mapping out the 'blind spot' that the reservation was giving me, it shifted occasionally. Certain people would appear briefly, then disappear again. I don't think it's the land, or the general population either," she said. "The effect would be stationary if it were."

"Fascinating," murmured Carlisle. "Perhaps things aren't as quiet there as we thought." In his mind he was picturing Ephraim Black, and the other tribal elders that we had forged the treaty with – the shapeshifters. He was remembering their unusual, bitter scent.

"The scent!" I blurted out. "When Bella came back from the reservation, there was an unusual scent on her, and I couldn't place it at first. It's the wolves. It has to be." A cold chill gripped my heart. We had been wrong! And today, Bella had been close enough to a werewolf to pick up its scent. She could have been seriously hurt, and I wouldn't have even known about it! My hands clenched into fists at my sides. Would I _ever_ be capable of keeping her safe?

"Edward, are you sure? If it was a werewolf's scent, don't you think you would have known right away?" Carlisle was skeptical.

"Well, the scent wasn't quite right. I actually didn't connect it to the wolves until just now," I admitted. "It was very, very faint. And somehow different than before. Not as bitter… milder, I suppose. The stench wasn't…" I searched for the right word. "It wasn't _developed_. Like a degraded version, or a weaker one. That's why I couldn't place it at first."

Carlisle stood immobile for a few moments, thinking. _Perhaps the gene has degraded over time. Diluted further with each new generation, unless…_ "Edward, who was Bella with at the reservation today?"

"Only Billy and Jacob, and she spent most of the time with Jacob in the shed. They were working on a car of his."

 _In a small, enclosed space, where a scent would be concentrated,_ Carlisle was thinking.

"What?" I asked him sharply.

"It's just a theory, Edward. The scent may have been weaker because it was from a werewolf who is still transitioning. Jacob is the direct descendant of Ephraim Black. It may be that he carries the gene, but that he's never phased yet. That would explain why the scent isn't quite human, but not as strong as we observed before. His may be preparing to begin phasing sometime in the next few months."

Carlisle's voice was drowned out by a roaring in my ears; all I could see was Bella, alone inside a tiny shed with an adolescent _werewolf_. They were standing near each other, working on a car that was filling the cramped space. In my imagination, Jacob became angry; the reason didn't matter. He didn't understand the risk, being so young – perhaps it had never happened before. His body quivered, and he exploded into his other form, crushing the car against the far wall, and Bella's body was-

"NO!" I shouted. All three of them jumped, and in their three view points, I saw my stricken face. "Don't you get it?" I asked them angrily. "We've been worrying all week about a stupid restraining order, when the real danger was right next door to Forks. We let her walk right in there, even though we knew something was wrong. Bella could have been…" I couldn't even say it. I couldn't _think_ it.

"And we wouldn't have even known," Alice whispered.

"I have to tell her about him," I said firmly, turning to Carlisle. "She's can't ever return there."

"I don't know, son. It's one thing to confirm a story Jacob already told her. It's quite another to break the treaty in _that_ way. If she ever let on that she knew anything, the tribe would blame us." _And I don't need to tell you how much more danger that would put Bella in…_ _not to mention the danger it would put our family in. No, Edward, we're not going to rush into that. Tell her only what we talked about before._

A snarl erupted in my throat. "And what are you suggesting that I do? Just sit back and relax the next time she goes there? Billy is Charlie's best friend, and Jacob is her friend, as well. She's bound to see them again."

At that moment, the rest of our family entered. In my anger, I hadn't noticed their approach, but from the looks on their faces, they had heard the tail end of our conversation.

"There are werewolves phasing again?" snapped Rosalie. "That's fantastic. That's all we needed."

"How many?" Emmett said eagerly. He was the only one who had been spoiling for a fight back in the thirties, and it had taken some effort to restrain him, as he had been so young back then. We all looked at Alice, hoping she would have an answer to his question, but she just rubbed her head in annoyance.

"I can't tell how many. If the blind spots are coming from individuals, there's no way to know how large an area is obscured by each one. There was a bitter scent on the air by the treaty line, but I've never smelled werewolf before."

Emmett raised his eyebrows. "So, you're saying that there could easily be just one, or there could be a hundred?"

"There were only three werewolves back in 1936, Emmett," reminded Carlisle, looking amused. "They're meant to be the protectors of their tribe. I highly doubt the entire tribe is phasing."

"Are you sure that Jacob is preparing to phase?" asked Esme. "After all, the scent Edward picked up was faint. Jacob could have picked up the scent from someone else, or one of the wolves could have spent time in his shed before Bella was there."

"You're right," I said grudgingly. "Although now that we know there are werewolves again, it's almost a given that Jacob will be joining them at some point, considering his lineage."

"Let's all take a step back here," said Carlisle sternly. "All we have is a garbled scent that _reminds_ us of werewolf, and some mysterious holes in Alice's vision. We need to confirm as much truth as we can, before we begin jumping to conclusions… and especially before we begin _sharing_ those conclusions," he said, looking pointedly at me.

"I have to get back to Bella," I sighed. "Keep me updated, will you?"

Carlisle nodded. "Now remember, Edward. It's fine if you tell Bella the whole of our history with the tribe, but let's leave the possibility of current-day werewolves to just that: a possibility. Best leave out Ephraim's last name, as well. Bella's a smart girl."

Rosalie turned on me furiously. "Now you're telling her about the werewolves, too? It wasn't enough that you endanger all of us so you could have your little inter-species romance! Now we've had the police out at our house, and now you want to break the _treaty_ for her? You are such an idiot! Why are you allowing this, Carlisle?"

"Jacob was the one who told Bella about our identity in the first place, Rosalie. He also told her about the werewolves- all in innocence. He doesn't believe the stories, which is one reason I want to think that he is _not_ preparing to phase. In any case, Bella did her own research after that, and decided the legends were right about our kind. It seems she doubts the werewolf part, though. Edward is only going to confirm the stories that Jacob already told her. She's already so involved in our world; It's only fair that she receives as much truth as we can offer her."

"So _they_ broke the treaty first?" she asked angrily.

Emmett's eyes took on a cold light and he cracked his knuckles. _That's all I needed to hear. Game on…_

I rolled my eyes at him. "Emmett, we are not going to attack anybody. Jacob didn't know what he was saying, and there's no harm done. In fact, I'm rather grateful to him… in a way." Somehow, admitting this was more difficult than it had been earlier today; at the time, I hadn't known that he and Bella were going to be spending so much time together, and I didn't know that he might be dangerous. I didn't feel particularly grateful to him _now_.

Carlisle sighed impatiently. "Of course we're not taking any action. Even if we wanted to, we don't know how many wolves there are yet. It would be foolish to attack, especially when we don't have a reason to. I have every intention of keeping the peace, and the treaty as well."

 _Man… and I was really looking forward to that._ Emmett didn't disappoint.

Carlisle turned to the rest of them. "It would also be foolish, however, if we didn't learn as much as possible, in case there is any confrontation in the future. I'd like to take Alice and Jasper back now, and confirm the scent that they found." He turned to Esme. "Is the Mercedes ready to use?"

Rosalie and Emmett had taken Esme to pick up Carlisle's car. Emmett had had a blast on Wednesday afternoon simulating Esme's accident, and they had made a show to taking the damaged car to a local garage for repair, in order to support the story. They had just returned from picking up the car now.

Rosalie tossed Carlisle his keys. "It's drivable, I suppose. Needless to say, I'll be spending the day tomorrow _repairing_ their repairs," she said with a sniff.

**A/N: I'm fudging the details just a bit here. I don't really know the "obscure-Alice" radius for each werewolf, and I kind of invented the "transitioning werewolf" scent thingy. Thanks to Mad Crafter Mom for helping me out with the number of werewolves in 1936. Anyone who knows the answer to the other things please let me know! I like sticking to canon, and this story should reflect that, except for the events resulting from Bella's injuries in Ch. 1.**


	11. Legends

**EPOV**

When I returned to Bella's house, I decided to wait in the woods instead of in her room. She and Charlie were sitting at the kitchen table, playing cards, and I had a good view of them from my hiding place in the branches of an ancient spruce.

Bella seemed to be truly enjoying herself; she was laughing at a story Charlie had just told her, and her cheeks were a becoming shade of pink. As Charlie was dealing out another game, Bella sneaked a glance at the kitchen clock and her eyes widened when she saw the time; it was already past ten. Her gaze shifted to the ceiling and her blush grew, causing me to smile: she was thinking about me. She turned her attention back to the card game, still smiling and talking to her father, but she threw in a few yawns as she played.

"It's getting late, Dad. Why don't we turn in after this one?"

I felt a pang of guilt. She was obviously enjoying her time with Charlie, and I didn't like being the reason that she was trying to end it. If it wasn't for this ridiculous restraining order, I could be in there too, enjoying a game night with my girlfriend and her father. But Charlie had never been comfortable with me, and after the events of the past week, this didn't look to be changing anytime soon. Although I spent a great deal of time at Bella's house, I always felt like an outsider when it came to scenes like the one before me now. No doubt Charlie would be more than happy to have Jacob Black sitting at the table with them tonight. _He_ wouldn't have any trouble with Charlie, because he already had his trust and approval.

My hand gripped the branch in front of me more tightly as I thought of Jacob again. I was looking forward to telling Bella about the Quileutes tonight, though it would have to be an edited version. As much as I wanted to tell her about the possibility of Jacob being dangerous, this was no time to go against Carlisle's wishes; upholding the treaty was too important.

I felt disappointed that I couldn't tell her everything, and not just because I wanted to be forthcoming. Even in my fear earlier, I had been strangely pleased with the idea of forbidding Bella to be near Jacob again. It wasn't that I wanted to control her in any way; hadn't I just been reminding myself the other day about how I would have to let her go, when the time came? No, I simply needed to keep her safe, and this newest threat just happened to be one of her friends. _One of her many admirers_ , I thought bitterly.

In the two times that I had observed Jacob's mind, his attraction to Bella had been obvious. And though his mind was nowhere near the gutter that Mike Newton's was, I still didn't like him spending time alone with her. Earlier tonight, when Bella had been telling me about her evening at the reservation, we had gotten sidetracked when she mentioned Billy's injudicious comments about Esme. I had never heard the rest of the story, and I still didn't know what had passed between them today. Had they really been alone in a tiny shed all those hours? Was the scent on her shirt because he had touched her? Had he touched her _hair_? The thought made me angry, though I understood that in this era, young men and women frequently touched, and even embraced, regardless of romantic involvement. In _my_ day, it would have been frowned upon.

So this is why I was disappointed; until we could confirm our suspicions, I didn't have a decent excuse to ask Bella to keep her distance from Jacob. It was ridiculous to think that I could feel threatened by the boy, but I was; Jasper had been smirking at me even as I had the thought earlier. He confirmed the jealousy and fear that I felt, and I couldn't blame all of it on the possible presence of werewolves. It seemed I was more human than I had thought- it made sense that Bella was the one bringing out those human feelings. She always was.

And now I felt even more jealousy as I watched Bella from the shadows. I was jealous that Jacob had known Bella several years before I had. He had a _history_ with her, and for the first time, I was glad that Bella hadn't spent the previous two summers in Forks, as she had done when she was younger. And now I was also jealous that Jacob had Charlie's approval. It was clear that he would be all too glad to see Bella turn away from me – toward _him_. The branch broke in my hands as an unwelcome memory surfaced: Jacob dancing with Bella at the prom. He had only come as a messenger for his father, but it was clear that he didn't mind enjoying himself while he delivered his message.

As they had danced, the thoughts of our classmates assaulted me: _they look great together._ I hadn't really minded at the time, knowing he had come reluctantly. But tonight, the memory made me uneasy. Even now, Charlie was remembering how happy Bella had looked when she and Jacob had rejoined him after the baseball game. He was thinking about it right now, even as he laid down his winning cards and Bella groaned her defeat.

_Nice to see her having fun with a normal guy, for once. Maybe we could do it again next week._

Was he _trying_ to drive me insane? But now Bella was standing up, stretching her back and telling Charlie goodnight. I instantly forgot my brooding and eagerly ran around the side of the house, scaling up the siding to her window. We reached her room at the same time, and when she broke into her usual smile upon seeing me, I couldn't help feeling a little smug; she hadn't smiled that big when Charlie saw her with Jacob.

"I'm going to need some comforting tonight, you know," she pouted. "Charlie just kicked my butt six to three."

I had her in my arms before she had finished her sentence, and I reveled in the cleanness of her scent; all traces of the stench were gone. I bent to kiss her, but she was eager, and too soon, I had to end it. She had _definitely_ been faking the tiredness before. As I pulled away her pulse was erratic and she was standing on her tiptoes to reclaim my lips.

"You don't need comforting," I teased. "In fact, I think this is the happiest I've seen you all week."

As soon as the words left my lips, they echoed again in my head. Had this day been the best because of her visit to La Push tonight?

"That's because this is the third time I've gotten to see you today," she said softly, leaning her face on my shoulder. Then she looked back up at me with a sly grin. "That's not too bad, considering you being here is illegal."

My hands relaxed against her back; I hadn't even noticed they were clenched into fists until now. I needed to stop worrying so much about Jacob–he wasn't worth the effort. I pushed away the images I had been brooding over, and returned Bella's secretive smile.

"Well, we had best make good use of this clandestine visit, then. I believe I promised you a history lesson?"

After she had brushed her teeth, I tucked her under the covers, and stretched out beside her. I began the story back in 1935, and she was soon laughing at my account of Emmett's newborn "adventures". I had intended to gloss over the part about _why_ we had to move again so soon after settling in Tennessee, but as usual Bella picked up on all the wrong details. When I gave a brief account of Emmett's first "accident", she hardly flinched. She knew by now that most of us had made mistakes at one point or another, and she was gracious as always. I quickly moved on to the part she had asked about, and she began asking more questions as I talked. I had just been describing our first meeting with Ephraim Black and the others, and was explaining that we were only first able to communicate via my mind reading.

"Why did you have to do that? Didn't they speak English?" she asked.

"They couldn't speak at all," I said slowly. How would she respond to the news? I picked up her hand and continued on, watching her carefully. "They couldn't speak because they weren't in their… human form at the time."

Bella just stared back at me for a moment, and I briefly wondered if she thought I was joking- especially when she burst out laughing a moment later. "You mean the werewolves were _real_?" she asked, between giggles.

"Yes. I'm glad you think it's so amusing, although _we_ didn't at the time." My sarcasm belied my pride in her response; once again, she had managed to react in completely the wrong way. Was she afraid of _anything_?

"I'm sorry," she said, attempting to straighten her face. "It's just that it's so funny that Jacob doesn't believe any of this. For all he knows, they might have been his ancestors!"

I cleared my throat and continued before she could continue _that_ line of thought. I told her about the tense negotiations that had taken place, and the treaty that had been drawn up. She asked more questions, and I found myself sharing everything that I knew about werewolves: our natural enmity, their physical qualities, their role in the tribal government… it felt good to talk to her about it. She already knew so much about my world- more than any human should, of course- and it was nice to finally let her in on one of the bigger secrets my family had been holding back. I had learned a great deal about the wolves by reading their minds back in the thirties, and I knew far more about them than they would have liked.

I was just about to explain the phenomenon of the pack mind when Bella's eyelids finally started to droop. I drew the covers up further until they were tucked around her chin, and I laid a gentle kiss on her brow. I reached over to turn off her bedside lamp, and began humming her lullaby.

I was sure she was asleep when I heard her whisper my name.

"Edward?"

"Hmm?"

"What happened to the werewolves in the end?"

"When they stop phasing, they began to age again. They died of old age long ago." I was guessing at this point. I knew about the aging from having overheard one the wolves think about it back then, but I had no idea if this had really happened. It was entirely possible that some of the wolves living today were the same ones we had encountered before.

"So… what about now?"

"What do you mean?"

"I mean now, today. Are there still werewolves in La Push?"

"We're not sure. When we first moved back, we wondered about it, but we found no evidence to suggest that they still existed. I thought I had found a trace of their scent once, but I was never really certain that it was the same scent." I just neglected to mention that this just occurred today, and that Bella herself was the source of the scent. It wasn't a lie.

Bella's brow was wrinkled as she thought, and for the millionth time, I tried in vain to push my way into her mind. Was she remembering my reaction to her scent earlier tonight? What was she going to ask me next? I decided the best defense was a good offense.

"Bella, in telling you all this, I am technically breaking the treaty. Do you understand?"

"Oh, it's not like it wasn't already broken," she said easily. "But don't worry, I'm getting pretty good at this acting stuff."

"You are."

She smiled at my approval, and a moment later, the smile was still on her face as she began dreaming. Would her dreams be frightening tonight? I scooted until I was half-reclining next to her, and began humming her lullaby again as I reached out my finger and gently traced her smile.

I would never tire of watching Bella sleep. Her skin had picked up a hint of color in these early days of summer, and the sun had lightened her hair a shade. The overall effect was breathtaking; she was just as beautiful, but the subtle change in her coloring, and the tan blanket wrapped over her reminded me of the effect that photographs used to have back in the twenties. Laying as still as she was now, it was as if I had captured her beauty in sepia, and could hang the picture on a wall, where her youth would remain unaltered forever. Immortality, as it was meant to be.

But Bella was not immortal. Her beauty was all the more real because it was always changing. I had already observed changes in her appearance and voice since we had met; Bella was aging. In many ways, she was still growing into adulthood, and her beauty was a flower that opened more fully each day. Her mortality was beautiful, so unlike my frozen stillness; how I wished that like her, I could change with the seasons, grow, age…

Of course the irony was that she had made _me_ mortal, as well. My days were numbered now, whereas before Bella, eternity had stretched out before me, an endless, monotonous horizon that could never be reached. Now I knew that I only had perhaps seventy years left to my life, and the thought was comforting. The idea of living in a world where Bella didn't exist wasn't just unthinkable, it was unknowable. I couldn't comprehend why anybody would want to live in such an empty, desolate place. As far as I was concerned, the world itself had no business continuing after Bella's eyes closed for the last time. What would be the point?

As I watched her face, I allowed myself just a moment of indulgence as I pictured Bella as Alice had seen her: transformed, like me. Her soft beauty, chiseled to statuesque perfection, her eyes a brilliant red- no, I altered the vision so her eyes would match mine. Her hands were pale and cold, and they tangled in my own forever, our gold wedding rings never warming to our touch. For a second, I had the tiniest glimpse of what our wedding day would be like: the exact scene that Charlie had been picturing back in the police station, altered only by the changes in Bella's appearance that I was now imagining. It was what Alice wanted; it was what _I_ wanted, if I was brutally honest. Bella would say, might even believe that it's what _she_ would want. If my daydreams of our both-human love were wistful, this new daydream was forbidden, and I dashed it from my mind.

Because that's all it was, a dream. I had been so close to destroying her life on the first day we had met, and now that she _wanted_ me to destroy it, I found that I couldn't. I had no idea where my own soul was, so there was no way I could jeopardize hers. But more than that, my reverence for her life wouldn't allow it. It was the most sacred thing on this earth, and her willingness to throw it away made me all the more determined to protect it. It was painful to deny her the one thing she asked of me, when I wanted to give her so much- but like Charlie had said, sometimes the most loving thing to do is to say no.

I had been in agony earlier today, when I was afraid for her life. Because of this, she seemed even more fragile tonight than usual. I reached out again to touch her cheek, and brushed aside a stray lock of hair. My fingers drifted down to her throat, resting on the pulse that had once tormented me. Now, it was my salvation, my reason to live another day. Even with the slight tan that she had picked up, the skin of her throat still had a translucent quality. Silk over glass…

In all the decades of living with the three couples in my family, I had never understood how their love was able to stay so fresh, so new- but now I understood. Bella had altered my stone heart forever, and I would always see her with the eyes of first love. The only change would be that the love would continue to grow, swelling each time I learned something new about her, each time she grew in some way… even when she grew out of me.

I quietly got up and moved to the rocking chair, sitting down to watch her as I had done back in March, back when I was still afraid to touch her. I sat motionless for the remainder of the night, watching in awe as my mortal angel slept.


	12. Plot

**EPOV**

It was nearly dawn when Carlisle texted me.

_We need to talk. Call me when you get a chance._

Unfortunately, I knew what he needed to talk about. I glanced over at Bella- she was still deeply asleep. I silently made my way over to her hamper, and lifted out the shirt she had been wearing earlier. Tentatively, I held it up to my face, wrinkling my nose as the odor hit me again: there was no mistaking it. Definitely werewolf, although like before, I noticed the smell wasn't totally inhuman. I replaced the shirt and closed the hamper, glancing at Bella again before I slowly slid the window open, and climbed up onto the roof to call Carlisle back.

"Edward?"

"Yes. What did you find?"

"We've confirmed the scent. The treaty line is thick with it- I would guess that means they're actively patrolling now."

"I don't understand. How could we have missed it before?"

Carlisle hesitated for a moment. "I truly don't know, son. Listen, there's more. Alice spent most of the night skirting the borders, mapping out her blind spots. They were shifting at the edges like before. Judging by the frequency and location of the shifts, we're guessing there's at least three of them. Jasper thinks there might be more- there's no way to tell."

I pinched the bridge of my nose in frustration. Why did Bella and I have to meet in this town, of all places on earth? Of course, with her luck, she was _born_ here. The one town in the entire country with vampires _and_ werewolves… I shouldn't be surprised, really. I was just lucky she hadn't been born in Volterra.

"Edward, listen. If we could get you close enough, perhaps you could hear one of the Quileutes thinking about the pack. We need to learn as much as we can."

"How am I supposed to do that, Carlisle? Waltz up to the treaty line, and ask if one of the elders could politely come stand close enough so I can read his mind? While I'm at it, maybe I'll ask if they would kindly refrain from phasing anywhere near my girlfriend!"

"Calm down, son."

"I'm sorry, I just… this has been a difficult week. Of course I'll help. What do you have in mind?"

"I suppose you could just spend a lot of time around town, hoping that one of the elders will walk by…"

"Or what? Spit it out."

"Well… Bella is already friends with Jacob, and his father is technically in the chief role, so if you could get them to come over to her house-"

"You want me to use her as _werewolf bait_? Are you out of your mind?"

"It's not like she wasn't just over at their house yesterday."

"That was _before_ I knew that the reservation was infested with werewolves!"

"Edward, hear me out. All you have to do is listen to Billy's thoughts while they're in the house. Maybe get Bella to bring up our name, to get him thinking about-"

"No."

"Just think about it. Billy is obviously in a position to know as much as any of them, and if Jacob is there, you could verify whether the scent you picked up is his, or if he just picked it up from someone else."

I hated it when he was right. "Okay, you have a point. But was the scent on the treaty line the same as before, or was it like the one I was telling you about?"

"No, it was exactly as before. This precludes our genetic degradation theory. The scent you picked up _has_ to be from a tribal member who is in transition."

"All right, I'll think about it. And I'll talk to Bella. Can I tell her the rest now?"

"I suppose. Best leave out our theory about Jacob, though.a

"For now. Until I can prove that he's a dog."

"Edward, that's inappropriate."

"Sorry. I'll keep Jacob out of it. Call you later."

I ended the call, resisting the urge to smash a hole in the roof. I couldn't _believe_ this. There had been werewolves this whole time! And now my father wanted to get Bella involved. Could this week get any worse?

I climbed back in through the window, to find Bella stretching and smiling at me.

"I've never seen you climb _down_ to the window before."

"I had to take a call," I said miserably. She frowned at my tone, and nodded for me to continue. "It was Carlisle. He spent the night out near the reservation, and he picked up the scent of werewolves… fresh scent."

Her eyes widened. "So there _are_ still werewolves in La Push!"

"We're as surprised as you are. That scent was definitely not there when we first came to Forks two years ago. And he said the scent was heavy at the treaty line- this means they've been actively patrolling."

"How many?" she asked in awe.

I was dismayed at how she was taking this in stride, and I felt even worse about the idea of involving her. She had no idea how to keep herself safe! No, I would not ask this of her.

"We don't know. At least three, but it could be many more. They've never wanted to _talk_ to us. The only way to learn anything is for me to get close enough to… you know."

Bella stared at the floor for a moment. "Well, Jacob wouldn't be any help. Billy might, though. I'm pretty sure he knows everything…" Her brow wrinkled in concentration for a moment. "Hey! I've got an idea! Why don't I have Charlie invite them over for dinner sometime, and you could stick around, and if I could get Billy to think about the right things…" She looked up at me hopefully.

Why was I not surprised?

"It sounds like a great idea," I sighed.

Bella started getting ready for her day, but I didn't want to leave. Only one more day of this restraining order nonsense…

My thought was interrupted by the phone ringing, but I didn't bother to follow the call in Charlie's thoughts. I was too busy kissing Bella goodbye for the day. We were interrupted, however, by his gruff voice yelling up the stairs.

"Bella! Phone!"

"At _this_ hour?" she grumbled as she went to get the phone. "Jessica seriously needs to dump Mike. They've had more drama this summer…" But I could tell from Charlie's smug thoughts downstairs that it wasn't Jessica.

"It's Jacob," I muttered.

Bella's eyes lit up, and a huge grin spread over her face. I gritted my teeth, trying not to let her see what a slap in the face _that_ was.

"Perfect! I'll ask him if he and Billy can come over tonight!" She picked up the phone. "Hey, Jake!"

"Hey! How'd you know it was me?"

 _I didn't mean you had to do it tonight_ , I mouthed to her. Couldn't she be a little less excited to see him?

She ignored me. "Well, none of my other friends call at ungodly-early hours, so I figured it might be you."

"Oh, sorry. Actually, it was either this or call you ungodly-late last night. I need to talk to you... about something. While my dad isn't awake, I mean."

"I'm listening."

"Listen, I'm doing this as a friend, okay? Last night after you guys left, my dad was all grins. I guess when you and I went outside after dinner, he and Charlie had a little Cullen-bashing party. He was bragging about how he had gotten Charlie 'on the right track' even though he never actually said anything he wasn't supposed to… whatever the heck _that's_ supposed to mean. I swear he's off his rocker."

Alarmed, I quickly focused my attention on Charlie downstairs. Sure enough, he was replaying his conversation with Billy last night. After Jacob and Bella had headed out the kitchen door, Billy had watched them go wistfully.

"Bella's such a sweet girl," he said to Charlie. "Jacob's head over heels, you know. Shame about her and the Cullen kid."

Charlie slammed his napkin down on the table. "All right, what? You keep hinting about how terrible they are, and yet you never tell me anything useful. Believe me, if you've got something concrete, I'd be more than happy to make this restraining order permanent."

"Oh… it's just a feeling," Billy said cryptically.

"A feeling that all the elders happen to have?"

"Something like that."

"About what, exactly?"

Billy stared down at his plate. "They just aren't _like_ other people, Charlie. They're not normal. Haven't you noticed how…" He sat up straighter in his wheelchair, a determined grimace on his face. "Haven't you noticed how _young_ Dr. Cullen is?"

Charlie frowned again. "Okay, so he was a kid genius and finished med school early. Is that a crime?"

"Never mind," Billy grumbled. He began paying close attention to the fish on his plate, pushing it around with his fork. "I'm just saying, you let your daughter spend all her time with him… with _them_. How much do you really know about them?"

Charlie didn't have an answer for that one, and the rest of the dinner passed in uncomfortable silence.

I waited for Charlie's thoughts to continue the story, but he was already moving on to his fishing plans for the day. Meanwhile, Jacob was continuing the story to Bella.

"You should see him, Bella – he's determined to break you guys up. And he keeps winking at me, like _I_ ' _m_ in on it. Like he thinks we're some kind of vampire-slayer family. It's creeping me out."

"It's creeping me out, too," Bella said angrily. "Why can't he just leave it alone?"

"Anyway, I just wanted to give you a heads up, in case Charlie gets back on the warpath. Might want to make sure that phone is hidden, you know?"

"Thanks, Jake… you're a real friend, you know that?"

"So… since I'm a real friend, can I say something?"

"Shoot."

"I know Edward's not really a vampire, or abusive or whatever but… I dunno, Bella, it just seems like fate doesn't want you two to work out, you know? Maybe it's just not meant to be."

Bella's eyes narrowed. "And you're saying this as a friend, right?"

"Yeah."

"Well, thanks, I guess. But I think I'll take my chances. So, last night was fun, right?"

"You bet!"

"Why don't you and Billy come over for dinner tonight? We haven't had you guys over in forever."

"Hey, that sounds great! Hold on, let me ask Dad."

Bella pulled the phone away from her ear to wait, and I gave her a weak smile of encouragement. In a moment, Jacob was back.

"He said as long as there's no salad involved, we're in. Six okay?"

"Sure. See ya, Jake."

She hung up and turned around to give me a conspiratorial smile before heading to her closet. "So, six o'clock. I wonder what I should wear to my first reconnaissance mission?"

I frowned at her. "It's not a joke, Bella. Mortal enemies, remember?"

"Well, Billy and Jake obviously aren't werewolves."

"I know. But don't dress too nicely – now that Charlie knows you're up early, he's taking you fishing."

"Not _again_. This had been the longest week ever," she complained, flopping backwards onto her bed. Unfortunately, her aim was off and she clipped the corner of the mattress on her way to the floor.

In a flash, I was next to her, cradling her head and shoulders an inch above the floor, where I had caught her. She blushed and relaxed into my arms.

"Too bad I can't tell Charlie how non-abusive you really are," she muttered as I righted her and set her back on the edge of the bed. I just smiled and gave a deep bow, ending with my lips brushing against her ear.

"Have fun fishing," I teased, jumping back to avoid the pillow aimed at my face.


	13. Spy

**EPOV**

I followed Bella and Charlie to the lake, and after they were situated in the boat, I decided to give them some privacy. I had been following Charlie's thoughts anxiously all morning, waiting for him to show me more of the conversation with Billy last night, but there didn't seem to be any more, and Charlie's thoughts now were all about the fishing trip.

I ran home, to find Carlisle, Jasper and Emmett working outside in the front yard. Jasper was mowing the lawn, and he was grumbling to himself about how he was obliged to walk too slowly, the motorized blades unable to keep up with the speed _he_ wanted to go at. He was thinking about asking Rosalie to see if she could do anything about it. Emmett and Carlisle were on the edges of the yard, collecting fallen branches from the woods that surrounded our property.

I felt relieved at the domesticity of the scene; things were finally returning back to normal. The restraining order would be lifted tomorrow, and although we would be more cautious about the number of hours we spent together, I would no longer be confined to hiding in Bella's room or behind her backyard all day long. Tonight, I would learn what I could about the wolves, although I doubted the information would ever be of use. We had no intention of ever confronting the wolves; and now it seemed they had been here all along, without bothering to confront us, either. My main goal was to determine the number of wolves in the pack; everything else was just details.

There was the small matter of Jacob Black; but I had a feeling that he wasn't a threat, at least not in that sense. He seemed so immature and _human_ , and it was obvious no one had informed him about the werewolves. It was hard to imagine him phasing into a powerful, lethal creature- the thought was almost laughable. If he was truly in transition, surely the other wolves would be spending time around him, and he would know more. He would have true werewolf scent all over him, if that were the case – but Carlisle was probably right, and he had just picked up the transitional scent from someone else. It was a shame, really. I would still ask Bella to steer clear of the reservation – now that she understood the risk, surely she would honor such a request. But I really had no business interfering with her and Jacob's friendship. I couldn't deny that it bothered me, but once I confirmed Jacob's humanity tonight, I would no longer have any reason to ask her to stay away from him. If only they weren't so infernally _relaxed_ around each other…

Jasper turned his head to look at me and steered the mower in my direction. "Well, if you're _that_ jealous, you can have it," he laughed, pushing the machine into my hands.

"Seriously, Edward," Emmett jeered from across the yard. "It's time you did some work around here. I know you've been stuck in Bella's bedroom all week. Get yourself a tan for once."

"You're hilarious, Emmett," I muttered as I tackled the grass on the side of the house. We all worked for another hour, and then stretched out on the grass together to enjoy the heat. I idly wondered how many other vampires had spent _their_ morning mowing the lawn.

"Edward, I've been thinking about our conversation earlier," said Carlisle. "You were right- I have no right to get Bella involved in our problems. We'll find another way."

"It's too late," I sighed. "She's already got them coming over tonight. In fact, it was her idea."

Emmett laughed. "Bella is so _weird_. Who else would purposely get in the middle of a decades-old feud between werewolves and vampires?"

I rolled over and kicked him in the side. "I happen to think she's courageous," I told him. "I just wish she wasn't already mixed up with the Quileutes. But after tonight, I'm going to ask her to avoid the reservation, anyway."

Carlisle opened his eyes and frowned over at me. "And you think she's going to listen to you?"

"Of course. I've explained the volatile nature of the wolves to her, and with her luck, she would probably end up standing next to someone while they're phasing."

"Yeah, she does have a knack for that kind of thing," Emmett said. "Danger magnet. I mean, just look at who she's dating!" Jasper snickered beside him.

I ignored them both. "Anyway, Carlisle, I'm going to ask her to do it as a personal favor to me. She'll understand."

 _If you say so,_ he thought doubtfully.

"Twenty bucks says she won't listen," drawled Jasper lazily. Emmett grunted his agreement.

I sat up and glared down at my brothers. "And why not?" I demanded.

"Because she has a strong independent streak, and she doesn't like being told what to do," said Jasper confidently. _I should know. And I think we both know the other reason. I've never seen you so jealous before!_

I wouldn't dignify _that_ with a response. I wasn't jealous... not much, anyway. I was _protective_. It wasn't my fault Jasper couldn't tell the difference.

.

.

.

I was already in Bella's bedroom by a quarter to six, but she was occupied downstairs talking to Charlie while she prepared dinner. It smelled awful; it was the second time this week she had Charlie's favorite stroganoff. I had only gotten to see her for a few minutes when they had returned from fishing- long enough to tell her about Esme's invitation to dinner the next day. Bella was asking Charlie's permission now, and I carefully watched his thoughts as he answered her.

"Yeah, I guess it's okay. And tell her I'm sorry about the accident, and I hope she feels better." _I wonder if she really did go to the hospital or not. Billy seemed to think that was a big deal._

"Thanks, Dad. And don't worry, I promise not to spend _all_ my time with Edward the rest of the summer. I'm determined to beat you in Rummy, and I really should spend more time with my other friends." I hoped that this was just her attempt to keep him relaxed. It seemed to be working, anyway.

They chatted while she finished cooking, and soon I heard the approaching thoughts of Billy Black and his son. Billy was looking forward to the dinner, and Jacob was wondering whether he should ask for Bella's new cell number.

Jacob got the wheelchair ready for his father, and after he had hauled the chair up to the front door, he held the door open while Billy wheeled in. When Jacob entered himself, I couldn't smell anything out of the ordinary; but then I was upstairs, behind a closed door, and the stench of the food was heavy throughout the house. I carefully opened the bedroom door and crept halfway down the stairs.

From my new position, I was able to get a stronger whiff of the people in the kitchen; and hovering over the familiar scents of Bella and Charlie, and the sickly-sweet smell of Billy's diabetic blood, was the unmistakable odor I had smelled before. Werewolf, mixed with human. So, Jacob _was_ preparing to phase! My muscles tensed instinctively, and I gripped the handrail until I could calm myself down. My body wanted to attack immediately, but I knew I could never obey that urge. Treaty aside, attacking Jacob would only put Bella in danger. If I forced him to defend himself, I might actually _cause_ him to phase for the first time. I smiled grimly at the thought of how easy it would be to kill him, as he was now; even if he managed to phase, he wouldn't know how to use his new body. I wondered if my bite would be poisonous to him yet…

I forced myself to relax and sat down on one of the steps. I would _not_ attack. I was here to gather information, and I needed to focus.

They were sitting down to the table now, and for a while, the conversation held little interest for me. Charlie was entertaining everyone with stories from his years of police work, and Billy chipped in with a few comments about tribal politics. I paid close attention to his mind while he talked, but he wasn't thinking anything useful to me. Jacob's mind was less than useless; it was infuriating. He was almost totally focused on Bella throughout the meal, and my annoyance was quickly shifting into a burning hatred. I would tell her about him tonight—treaty be damned.

Bella's musical voice pulled me out of my fantasy; she was addressing Jacob. "So, it's like dinner party weekend. Your house last night, here tonight, and I'm heading over to the Cullens' tomorrow!" Her tone was innocent, and I silently applauded her strategy. Sure enough, Billy scowled.

_If only I could tell Charlie the truth! He'd never let his daughter hang out with a bunch of bloodsuckers. How much more can I say to him, though? I should talk to Harry… maybe the council will let me give him a few more tips. If it wasn't for that cursed treaty, we could have had the pack take care of this last year when they started phasing._

This was the kind of thing I needed to hear. I leaned forward, frowning as Billy pictured three young tribal members, first in their human form and then in their wolf form. A quiet snarl rumbled in my chest at the second image, and my muscles tensed again, aching to attack. Billy was thinking about how the three pack members were kept so busy with their patrols that they time for little else. _If it wasn't for those Cullens, those boys would be living a normal life_ , he thought angrily.

What was this? Why was he blaming _us_? It wasn't _our_ fault anyone had phased.

_Of course, it was different when I was their age. I was so sure I would phase, even though my father never had. I was such an idiot back then- I actually wanted it. Figures there weren't any vamps around to kickstart me. Well, it's too late for me now. Jacob, on the other hand…_

Billy's thoughts focused on his son now. He looked at Jacob with love and pride, and wondered if he was on his way to phasing. It was obvious that he wasn't sure; Jacob had recently had quite a growth spurt, but that didn't necessarily mean anything. Billy seemed torn- he was fiercely proud of Jacob's potential as a protector of his people, but he also wanted a normal life for his son. I picked one name–Sam Uley—out of his mind as he thought about discussing Jacob at the next council meeting.

_Not that I would wish it on anyone, but if we could get a few more wolves, the pack would be large enough that we wouldn't need a stupid treaty. We could drive out those demons once and for all._

Bella interrupted his thoughts. "So, Jake, how about a tour? You haven't seen my room since I've been back." I froze when I heard this; were they coming up here? Why would she want him in her _bedroom_ , of all places?

"Yeah, sure." Jacob wore an idiotic grin as he stood up. _Awesome. And Dad's actually behaving himself tonight. Keep it cool, Jake, keep it cool…_

They were headed toward the stairs now, and I scrambled to get out of the stairwell and back into Bella's room just in time. I dove out the window, quietly shutting it behind me, and ran into the trees behind Bella's house, climbing up into an old pine so I could have a good view of Bella's room.

Jacob entered the room and looked around. "Just as messy as I remember it," he said cheerfully. _At least her room's not covered with pictures of him_ , he thought smugly. _I don't know what she sees in him anyway._ His only memory of meeting me was at the prom, and he recalled his impression of my paleness and sour mood – which of course had been caused by his presence there.

He walked around the room, touching things as he walked by them. Why did Bella want him in there? He was desecrating her room just by being in it. I could only imagine the awful smell he was imparting on everything.

Bella was standing by him now, and they were looking through her CD collection. I noted with chagrin that he had grown even taller than before—taller than me, and his muscular development had taken off, as well. Billy was deluding himself—this was no ordinary growth spurt. I bared my teeth as he looked down at Bella with approval. _I knew I should've made my move that first day at the beach. Well, I can wait. Cullen's such a freak she's bound to ditch him eventually. Hopefully the restraining order gave her a little perspective. I wonder if she would give me her cell number…_

He flopped down into her computer chair. "So… must be nice having a cell, right?"

"Oh, Edward just lent it to me for the day."

"Wait, he gave you his phone just so he could keep tabs on you? That's weird, Bella."

She glared at his presumption. "It wasn't like that… I hadn't been feeling good that day, and he was worried about me. He's really sweet like that."

"Oh." _This sucks. She's obviously still into him. Well, I can wait. Friends for now._

As their conversation drifted to other topics, I began to relax a little. Jacob's thoughts toward Bella were annoying, but I had to admit they weren't terribly inappropriate. It didn't matter, anyway. After I told Bella the truth about him, they wouldn't be spending any more time together.

"So, it seems like your dad is behaving himself tonight," Bella whispered dramatically.

"Yeah! For once. He's been super weird lately."

"I just don't get it, how can he really believe that stuff? It's not like anyone else believes it, right?"

Ah, I saw why she had brought him upstairs now. She was hoping to get _him_ thinking about the werewolves.

"Well, see, that's the weird part. All the tribal elders seem to agree with him. They're so _normal_ in every other way. They'll have their council meetings, and talk about regular stuff, and then they have a closed session where all the rest of us have to leave. I guess that's when they do the werewolf stuff."

"They don't let _anyone_ come in? It seems like if they really believed that certain guys were werewolves, they would invite them to the secret meetings."

They both laughed at this, and they joked around for a while, guessing what bizarre rituals were taking place after the tribal members left the elders. It was obvious that Jacob didn't even bother to attend the regular meetings. I didn't understand this. If there was even a possibility that he was preparing to phase, why wasn't he in on the secret? I had been hoping to learn the names of the other two pack members, but it appeared I wasn't going to get them. I shifted my focus downstairs again, but Billy and Charlie were deep in a baseball debate.

Now that I had learned everything I was going to, I was anxious for Jacob to leave. Bella's room was getting more saturated with his odor every minute, and they were getting even more relaxed together. They were talking now about the possibility of getting a group of friends together for another beach trip. Jacob's thoughts were drifting into lustful territory now, and it was all I could do to stay in the tree as he wondered what it would be like to kiss her. He was wishing the beach trip could be just the two of them, but he didn't think she would go for it. I almost wished he _would_ try something, so I could have an excuse to break in through the window and kill him. Of all the cowardly, disgusting…

"Jacob!" Billy called from downstairs. "I'm ready to go!"

"Well, catch ya later," Jacob said as he stood up to leave. He walked toward Bella and gave her a quick hug, which she willingly returned. I was glad I hadn't brought Jasper–even I couldn't deny the jealousy that burned through me when that boy—that _werewolf_ —dared to put his arms around _my_ Bella.

Well, never again.


	14. Safety

**BPOV**

I walked out to the upstairs hallway with Jacob, leaning on the railing and waving goodbye again as he held the front door open for Billy.

Charlie waited only until the door was shut. "Well, that was a nice idea, Bells. You and Jake have a good time?"

"Yeah, it was great. Hey, I think I'm gonna catch up on some email now. I'll get the dishes later, okay?"

"No, I got it," he said cheerfully.

"Thanks!"

I went back into my room, where Edward was just climbing back in the window. He was wrinkling his nose again as his face cleared the frame.

I rushed over, expecting him to take me in his arms, but he recoiled just slightly when I reached him. He recovered quickly and bent his face down to mine, but I couldn't hold back the giggle that interrupted his kiss.

"Fish last night, and stroganoff tonight. Is there any dinner that _doesn't_ offend your sense of smell?"

He didn't answer, pulling me back in to finish the kiss. He wasn't as gentle as usual, and it caught me off guard. When he finally ended it, I was so dizzy he had to keep both hands on my shoulders to keep me upright.

"So," I began when I could speak again, "how did it go?"

"It was very enlightening."

"Well, I want to hear everything – after I take a shower. I want to smell _nice_ for you." Before he could protest, I danced away from him, grabbing my shower stuff and pile of pajamas.

As I stood with the hot water pounding the back of my head, I wondered what Edward had learned tonight. It was nice to feel like I had actually done something to help for once, instead of just being rescued and carried around everywhere. It was sad, though, to think of the treaty and the history surrounding it. To my human perspective, the vampires and werewolves had a lot of similarities. Why did they have to be enemies?

Of course, tonight hadn't been all work. I had had a great time with Jacob, too – I had forgotten how relaxing it was to be around him. It was as easy as breathing. And it had been especially nice to have a conversation in my room at normal volume, not having to worry about Charlie finding out. It felt _normal._ It was a shame that Edward couldn't come with us to First Beach this weekend. I felt a pang of envy again for Angela, who didn't know how nice it was to be normal, and not to have to keep your cover story straight all the time. But then, I had Edward- and everything else in the world lined up behind that fact.

I turned up the burned side of my face–now almost healed—and for the first time in a week, enjoyed the feeling of the water as it washed away the makeup. After a couple more days, I shouldn't need it anymore. I couldn't wait to leave this week behind me. I really did feel bad for Edward- he had been cooped up in my room (or just outside it) for most of the week. It would be nice to spend time together with his family tomorrow.

When I reentered my bedroom, I found Edward stretched out on my bed, with his face buried in my pillow and the window still wide open. As soon as I closed the door behind me, he disappeared into thin air, reappeared behind me, and gently took the towel off of my head. He rubbed his face in my wet hair, sighing contentedly.

His face was cold on my shoulder, and he let his cheek linger for a moment on my fading burn.

"It doesn't hurt anymore," I reassured him.

"It still hurts _me_ ," he whispered, and I frowned. I thought we were past this.

"So," I said cheerfully. "I tried to get Billy mad again. Did it work?"

Edward tensed, and pulled his face away. "Yes, I learned quite a bit. For starters, the pack has three members right now–just like before. I saw their faces, but only learned one name. Sam Uley. But the big news is that Billy seems to think that my family is responsible for the fact that tribal members are phasing at all."

"What? How is that _your_ fault?"

"Do you remember what I said about the scent this morning? When we first came back in 2003, Carlisle and I were very thorough. We spent several nights searching along the treaty line, expecting a challenge, or at least the scent of patrolling wolves. There was nothing. Still, we waited, assuming we would be contacted by the tribe. The leader of the pack, the Alpha, traditionally has a position on the tribal council, and when we received no warning, no contact of any kind… we finally relaxed, and assumed that the line had died out."

I sank down onto the bed, mesmerized as I listened. Even though he was telling the story of events that happened only two years ago, the depth and rhythm in his voice lent a fairy-tale flavor to the tale. It was so easy to forget how old Edward was, sometimes- but at times like this, I felt like a child listening to her favorite story-telling great uncle.

"You see, when we were here before–back in the thirties—I wasn't able to spend much time around the elders. After the treaty was ratified by both sides, we agreed that we wouldn't meet again, unless there was a problem. I gathered what I could from their minds, but I only ever had bits and pieces of the story. And I couldn't ask them to clarify, to think the right things. We didn't want to let them to know about my ability, of course. We still don't," he added, looking at me meaningfully, and I nodded.

"You can imagine our surprise when we found the fresh scent last night. Tonight, Billy was thinking about the pack beginning to phase last year... although the Alpha may have been phasing for longer than that. At least his theory explains why there was no scent in the beginning."

"But if they've been phasing for that long, why did you just discover the scent last night?"

"Like I said, we stopped checking. We didn't expect a wolf pack to form _after_ we moved back."

"So, what made you check again?"

"I'll get to that part later."

"Okay. Anything else from Billy?"

Edward's eyes narrowed slightly. "He's not happy that Charlie is lifting the restraining order. He wants to drop more hints about us, but he won't do it without the approval of the other council members. He's planning to talk about it with them."

"You mean he wants to tell Charlie the truth?"

"He would never do _that_. It would raise too many questions, and he doesn't want to risk the pack's existence being made public. I don't think many of the Quileutes know anything about it, other than the old legends."

"The secret council meetings?"

He nodded. "Billy has mixed feelings about the pack existing in the first place. He is grateful for the protection they offer, but he feels sorry for the men themselves. Their burden is heavy, and they seem to feel our presence warrants constant patrolling. As if _we_ would break the treaty," he said angrily. "Billy is pushing it. He has no business giving Charlie hints about us, and Jacob certainly had no business telling _you_ about the legends."

"That was different. He didn't know what he was talking about," I said defensively.

"It didn't matter, did it? It was easy for you to learn the truth after he pointed you in the right direction."

"I suppose. Although by that point I knew there was _something_."

He sat down on the bed next to me, reaching up and gently tracing my hairline. "That's because you have the type of mind that won't let things go."

"And Charlie doesn't?"

"Alice still hasn't seen a problem. And I need to talk to Carlisle about this, but I think we need to contact the elders. Billy shouldn't be allowed to bend the treaty whenever he feels like it."

"Wouldn't that just stir things up? You contacting them?"

"Well, we're not going to sit idly by while they endanger our position," he said coldly. For just the briefest moment, the fierceness in his eyes was frightening.

"But what would Carlisle say if he _did_ call Billy? That his telepathic son noticed some new threats while he was hiding in my bedroom tonight during dinner?"

Edward scowled. "We'll think of something."

"You wouldn't… fight them, would you?"

"We don't want to. If there was truly a problem, if hostilities truly escalated, I'm positive that Carlisle would simply choose to move away."

"Oh, well… that's good. Anything else? Anything useful from Jacob?"

"Not exactly. We've learned something else, though. The reason Alice saw you disappear yesterday was that she can't _see_ the werewolves. It must be some sort of defensive mechanism, or something about their transmutation. The entire reservation is a blank spot for her visions. As soon as you and Charlie started driving home last night, your futures reappeared again."

"Oh! So there's nothing wrong with Alice?"

"No. She's not happy about it, though. Bella…" He was concentrating on my hands, which he held on the bed between us. "Now that we know that there are werewolves in La Push, I would appreciate a certain favor… something you could help us with."

"Anything."

"Promise?"

"Of course." Why was he stalling?

"I want you to stay away from the reservation."

I frowned. "I thought you wanted me to do something helpful."

"It would be immensely helpful to _me_."

"I don't understand. You don't want me to go to First Beach this weekend? How does that help you?"

"Bella, I want you to avoid the reservation indefinitely."

My cheeks grew hot. Why did I always end up in the middle of these things? Why could they just get along with each other? "Listen, just because you're prejudiced against werewolves, doesn't mean _I_ have to be."

"This isn't about prejudice–it's about your safety."

"Edward, I don't even know what you're talking about."

"Weren't you listening last night? They're dangerous."

" _I'm_ not their enemy," I said stubbornly.

"Bella, _anyone_ near the werewolves is in constant danger, even their own families. Their phasing is largely ruled by their emotions, and they often can't control when it happens. Sometimes the people near them get hurt. Or worse. And you, especially – not only are you a magnet for trouble, but you have vampire scent all over you. That's the sort of thing that makes them angry, and anger is the emotion most likely to cause a sudden transmutation."

"So tell me who the werewolves are, and I'll avoid those three people."

He closed his eyes, and spoke patiently, as though to a child. "It's not that simple, Bella."

"Why not?"

He looked down at our hands again, tracing the lines on my palm. "There's something else I'd like you to do."

"I haven't agreed to the first one yet!"

He looked back up to me, his eyes hard. "I wasn't asking for your agreement, exactly."

"Good, because I'm not agreeing. What's the other one?"

"I want you to stay away from Jacob."

This was going too far. "And why is that?" I asked hotly.

Edward suddenly looked uncomfortable… unsure. This just made me angrier. Was he just making up rules for the fun of it now?

"I just don't think it's a good idea for you to be around him."

All at once, everything became clear. "You're _jealous_ , aren't you?"

His lips twitched up just the tiniest bit. "I wouldn't say _jealous_ , per se."

"What, then?"

"Protective. Concerned."

"Jealous."

"It's as good an excuse as any. You can tell him I'm a possessive jerk, if you like. He already thinks that anyway. Just stay away from him, please. As a favor to me."

"You'll have to give me a better reason than _that_."

He stared at my hands again for a moment, his jaw clenching and unclenching in quick succession. He seemed to arrive at some decision, and his eyes flew back up to mine. "He's not _human_ , Bella."

I tried to jerk my hands away, but he was suddenly holding them with a stony grip. "What did you just say?"

"I said Jacob Black isn't human."

"Well, he's certainly not a werewolf! He doesn't even know that they exist!" My head was spinning with the conversation Jacob and I had just had. Laughing at the legends, and making up eerie wolf rituals that went on behind closed doors.

"I wasn't sure until tonight. I smelled the scent on you last night—that's why we checked the treaty line again. At first we thought he had picked up the scent from someone else, but when he was here tonight, the scent was quite obvious. Billy suspects, but he's not sure yet. And this room _reeks_ of werewolf," he added distastefully.

"Jacob is _not_ a werewolf," I repeated stupidly.

"He hasn't phased yet, but it's coming. Listen, Bella… I wasn't exactly supposed to tell you about Jacob. It's imperative that he doesn't find out from you."

"Wait. Are you trying to tell me that he's turning into a werewolf, and he doesn't _know_ it?"

"That's precisely what I'm telling you. Now do you understand why I don't want you near him?"

"No."

"Please, try to understand," he said, using the annoying patient voice again. "Werewolves are most dangerous when they're new. It takes time to learn to control the phasing. Most of the mistakes are made in the beginning. In fact, the only thing more dangerous than a young werewolf is one who hasn't phased yet."

"As in, it could happen at any moment?"

"I can't be sure, but I think it's going to happen sometime in the next few months. I don't believe his body is ready just yet to begin phasing, but it can be triggered prematurely… especially in the presence of strong emotions."

"Okay, so if he gets mad about something, I'll give him some space. Problem solved. Any other special requests?"

His face was expressionless, carved from stone. "They weren't requests, Bella."

"So this is what, a supernatural restraining order?"

He cocked his head. "That's an interesting analogy. Yes, I suppose that's right."

My face was getting hot again. "In case you haven't been around the past week, I don't like people telling me who I can and can't associate with."

"He's a _monster."_

I snorted. "Well, there's a pot calling the kettle black." I instantly wished I could take the words back. He inched as if I'd slapped him. "No, that's not what I meant at all. You know I don't think of you that way. But one mythical creature saying the other one is too dangerous? Don't you think that's a little hypocritical?" I wrenched my hands out of his, and this time, he allowed it.

"This is a completely different situation."

"Different, how?" I demanded. "Different than the danger I was in the first day you and I met?"

He swallowed, and I noticed now that his eyes had slowly been darkening throughout the conversation. "It's getting late," he said quietly. "We can talk about this tomorrow."

"Fine," I fumed as he pressed my shoulders down to my pillow, and drew the covers up over me. "But just so we're clear, I've had enough restraining orders."

"Perhaps that wasn't the best analogy," he said flatly as he turned out the light. He stretched out beside me, running his fingers through my hair in silence for a while. "Bella, please, try to imagine what it's like for _me_. I almost lost you three months ago, and yesterday I was afraid I would lose you again. Now I find out that you're living mere miles away from a werewolf pack. And that you've been sitting right _next_ to him…" he shuddered. "If he were to phase while you were that close, well… can't you see why I'm a little anxious?"

"I suppose so," I admitted. "But I don't see why that means I'm can't still be his friend. Or why I can't go on the reservation. All we need to do is find out the other names, and I'll be careful."

He chuckled. "Bella Swan says she'll be _careful_. Now why doesn't that make me feel better?"

"Because you're overprotective."

Edward sat up on his elbow and glared at me in the dimness. "He's not just dangerous, he's _volatile_."

"Edward, you've met him one time. How well could you possibly know him?"

"Three times. And I know enough."

"Hmph. I still think you're jealous."

"Whatever works."

"I'm going to sleep," I grumbled, and I yanked the covers closer, rolling away from him. He just sighed and began humming my lullaby.

I stared at the far wall for a while he sang. It was rare for me to stay awake with him here, and all I could think about was Jacob. He was so carefree, so young, and it seemed unfair that his fate was already decided. Would he want this? When would someone tell him what was happening to him? Were there full moons involved? What would it be like to transform? Would it hurt? I shuddered involuntarily.

"Are you all right?" Edward whispered.

"This stinks," I growled.

"You can smell it?"

I rolled back over, flopping my arms down beside me. "No, I mean this stinks for Jacob. What if he doesn't want to be a werewolf? Does he get to opt out?"

"I don't think it works that way."

"Well, that's not fair."

"These things usually aren't. Rest, Bella. I'll be gone in the morning. Carlisle and I need to talk."

I nodded against my pillow. He began singing quietly, and soon the darkness was swirling around me.

I was in a forest, and on my right side were the Cullens, all of them except Edward crouched with bared teeth. He was still singing my lullaby as he stood like a marble statue in the moonlight, oblivious to his family's peril. On my left, there was an advancing pack of wolves. I held my arms up, my hands outstretched to keep them apart, but they wouldn't listen. They all crashed together around me, roars and howls in my ears, and I was trampled. As I fell, I could hear Edward's song ringing through the trees, drowning out the sound of the battle.

**A/N: Next chapter will be in Charlie's point of view!**


	15. Donuts

**Charlie's POV**

I took a gulp of lukewarm coffee as I unlocked the door at the station. It had been nice to take a few days off, but it was time to get back to the grindstone. I flipped on the lights in the reception area and headed into my office, groaning when I saw the stack of papers waiting for me there. What was it with Mark and paperwork?

I chugged the last bit of coffee, tossing the cup into the trash, and sat down, flipping through the mess of accident reports, traffic violations, emergency calls and neighborhood complaints that Mark had left for me to sign. I chuckled when I saw two reports from Animal Control- it looked like the Crowleys' dog was at it again.

After I had autographed everything, I picked up the phone to make my weekly check with the hospital. I knew there was probably a way to do this on the computer, but it was sort of a tradition now. Every Monday morning, I called over to the Emergency Room and got the unofficial lowdown on any interesting cases that had come up there over the weekend. They would have contacted us if there were any real problems, but I liked to keep tabs on who had come in for stitches after a drunken brawl, which women tended to come in with bruises every other week, that sort of thing. Completely illegal, and completely necessary.

I stopped dialing and laid the phone back down. This past week had been a nightmare. Well, just last Tuesday and Wednesday morning, really. I had been so sure that Bella was getting beat up by her boyfriend, and I had taken things a bit too far, it turned out. I chuckled as I looked at the empty chair in front of my desk. It _had_ been gratifying to see Edward squirm as he sat there! I guess it hadn't been really fair of me to push the polygraph test on him. Still, it was too bad we had gotten interrupted. I wondered how Esme was doing after her car accident. I had heard the gossip when I checked in with Mark on Thursday – how the mighty Cullens had actually brought one of their cars to Matt's Garage. I hoped she was all right. Maybe I should have let Bella call her last week. Oh, well. She was going over there tonight, anyway. No doubt she'd be a fixture at their house for the rest of the summer.

Billy's words came back to me. How well did I really know the Cullens? What about all those brothers, and how supervised were Bella and Edward when she was there? Did Carlisle and Esme have any kind of control over their kids?

I shook my head as I picked the phone up again.

"Emergency, clerical."

"Heyyyy Brian."

"Well, look who decided to show up for work!"

"Yeah, yeah. Anything interesting this weekend?"

Brian heaved a sigh, and I heard him flipping through his folders. I had seen his desk once, and it made me feel like a neat freak. "Nah, nothing to write home about. A couple of fender benders, dog bite… oh! We got a panic attack. Woman saw a bear as she was driving by La Push on Saturday night."

"A bear near the rez? That's different."

"I know. Well, that's all I've got. You catch the game Saturday night?"

"Ohhhh yeah. The Mariners got down to _business_."

"Yeah. 'Course I lost twenty bucks. Well, talk to you later, Charlie."

"Hey, Brian…" I hesitated. I had that funny feeling again. The same feeling I had on Tuesday, like I should go home and check on Bella… "Were you there when Esme Cullen came in last Wednesday?"

"What? She came in to visit Carlisle?"

"No, she was in a car accident Wednesday morning."

"Oh yeah. No, she never came in- I remember when Carlisle got the call, though. He was a mess, ran right out and we didn't see him for a couple of hours."

"What'd he say about it?"

"He said it was fine, that he had checked her for signs of a concussion but that she wasn't hurt too bad. Why?"

"Nothing. Don't you think it's weird that she didn't come in to get checked out?"

He chuckled. "Well, when you're married to a doctor, I guess you don't _need_ to come in."

"I know, but… well, Carlisle strikes me as the overly cautious type. Have you seen how pale his kids are? He must buy sunblock by the gallon."

"You wanna talk to him? His shift is just about to end."

"No… no, that's alright. Catch you later."

I hung up the phone, letting my hand stay on it, fingers tapping. The feeling in my gut was still there, and on a whim, I picked it back up, dialing the number to Matt's Garage.

"Matt's Garage, you crash 'em we fix 'em! How can I help you?"

"Hey Matt, It's Chief Swan. You've been working on Esme Cullen's car?"

He whistled. "You mean the hunk of beautiful Mercedes? They just picked it up on Saturday."

I rolled my eyes. Of course it would be a Mercedes. "That's the one. What kind of damage was there?"

"The lady said she bumped a tree in their yard, while she was looking for something in her purse."

"And did the damage match the story?"

"Yeah, I guess so…"

"What?"

"Well, the story just struck me as a little off. For one thing, Mrs. Cullen doesn't strike me as the type who would accidentally drive into a tree. Another thing, I got a look at the engine, and let me tell you… Dr. Cullen obviously knows his way around in there. You wouldn't believe how beefed up it was. It was _sweet._ And not just that- every inch of that car was perfect. I don't think I found a speck of dirt in the whole works. It was so perfect it was creepy _._ "

Just like the Cullens. "What's so weird about that?"

"Well, why didn't he just bang it out himself, if he's that good?"

"Maybe he's busy."

"Yeah, right. With three boys to help him? They've lived here for a while now, Chief. I know for a fact they're done all their own maintenance, and you know how many vehicles they got. By now those boys must know enough to open their own garage, and they're not even in school right now. Why would they suddenly need _me_? Not that I mind. Money's no object to _them_. Although getting a look under that hood was payment enough." He whistled again.

"Thanks, Matt. That's all for now."

"See ya, Chief."

As I hung up, I heard the front door open, and the familiar chatter between Mark and Doris wafted in through the doorway.

"Morning, Charlie! Back from the dead, eh?"

"Hey, Mark. Can you come in here for a minute?"

He sauntered in and slumped in the chair in front of me. "Hey, boss. What's up?"

"What do you think of the Cullens?"

He shrugged. "Nobody knows much about them. You probably know more than anyone, what with your daughter and all."

I shifted in my seat uncomfortably. If _I_ knew more than anybody, and I knew next to nothing…

Mark was grinning. "Heard about your little fun with the Cullen kid last week. Did you ever get the polygraph on him?"

I narrowed my eyes. "How did you know about that?"

He waved his hand in the air dismissively. "Small town, small office. Don't worry, it's not like I'm going to report you. You've served this town for a long time, Charlie. If you want to do a little work under the radar to check out your daughter's boyfriend, nobody's going to say anything. I'll help, if you want. That restraining order was the most fun I've had all year."

"Why?"

"Well, for starters, I finally got to see the Cullen house… mansion is more like it. And the yard was spotless… everything was so perfect, it was creepy."

I frowned. There was that phrase again.

"Except for the broken down door, of course. Anyway, those kids are so perfect it was fun to see a little action over at their place."

"Broken door?"

"Yeah, the front door was smashed in – the frame was ripped right out of the wall. Looked like a wrecking ball hit it. I thought for sure they'd want to report the robbery, but Dr. Cullen didn't seem to want to make a fuss over it. They're so rich, I guess it's no big deal."

"Huh."

"So, can I help?"

"Help with what?"

He grinned. "Investigating the kid."

I felt my face growing red. "I'm not investigating anyone. I just got a little carried away the other day, is all. Anyway, I'm getting the restraining order lifted this morning."

Mark pulled himself to his feet. "Suit yourself. If it was my daughter, I don't know if I'd be so forgiving. Are you _sure_ the kid's not hurting her?"

"Yeah."

"All right." He turned to go, but turned around. "Because I could do a little digging if you want…"

I looked up at him. "What kind of digging?"

He held up his hands innocently. "I don't mean get the FBI involved. Just school records, traffic violations, that sort of thing. You don't have to call out the big guns to get dirt on someone. Come on, Charlie, I'm bored."

"Well… if you think it wouldn't raise any eyebrows…"

He just smiled and headed out the door, shutting it behind him.

I put it out of my mind and called the county judge's office to lift the restraining order. No use dwelling on it. Mark wouldn't find anything, I was sure. Edward's record was probably just like everything else Cullen – so perfect it's creepy.

.

.

.

I was finishing up a late lunch – Bella had packed me some leftover stroganoff- when Mark came back in. He tossed a heavy folder on my desk, where it landed with a _thud_.

"What's this?"

"Have a look."

I flipped through the stack of papers inside- there were school transcripts, immunization records, property tax payments, change of address forms, professional references, and files from at least three different adoption agencies.

"Geez, Mark, I didn't think you meant the whole _family_!" I kept flipping through the folder. Esme's Alaska driver's license… A letter from Jasper's sixth grade science teacher praising his science fair project…

"Don't you ever watch Criminal Minds?"

"You really _are_ bored, aren't you?"

He headed out the door. "If you had gotten them to lower the speed limit last year like I asked, I wouldn't be so bored. You're welcome," he called out over his shoulder.

Well, now I just felt embarrassed. I shut the folder and shoved it into my lowest desk drawer. I hadn't planned on stalking anyone. I would just have to take pride in the fact that I had ruined Edward's perfect record.

.

.

.

I was closing up shop around four, when I realized I hadn't told Bella yet that the restraining order was officially lifted. I called home, getting suspicious by the fourth ring- but then she picked up.

"Hello?"

"Hey, Bells."

"Hi, Dad! How's work today? Did Mark leave you a pile of paperwork to sign?"

I chuckled into the phone. It felt so good to have someone at home who cared about me, so _different_. Good different. "Yeah, I'm probably gonna stay late tonight and catch up, since you won't be around. You heading over there soon?"

"Edward's picking me up in a few minutes. I mean, Jasper's bringing Edward, since Edward's grounded from driving. Um, that's okay, right?"

"Yeah, I actually called to tell you it was official. Just remember what I said about your _other_ friends." Why couldn't she date a normal guy, one who didn't want to be around his girlfriend 24/7?

"Cool. Thanks, Dad. I'll see you tonight."

"Okay, love you."

"You too."

As I hung up, I had that funny feeling again- maybe the stroganoff wasn't agreeing with me. I popped a couple of antacids and wondered why I had told Bella I was going to work late- I hadn't planned on it until the words had come out of my mouth. Mark and Doris would be heading home in an hour… it _would_ be nice to catch up on some paperwork once I had some quiet. Maybe I could swing by the diner and bring something back here. My desk was where I liked to think. I wasn't the kind of man to stay awake thinking at night- this was it. And with nobody here… I pulled open the lower drawer and peeked at the folder Mark had compiled. Maybe later I could make a couple of calls, just to settle the feeling in my stomach. Well, maybe not. A man couldn't think on an empty stomach, anyway. I pushed away from my desk and headed out to the diner to get some carry-out.


	16. Hot Dogs and Nerf Volleyball

**A/N: It's time for a relaxing, family-fun chapter before things get tense again. Enjoy!**

**BPOV**

I flew out the door as soon as Edward's car pulled up. By the too-slow speed with which he walked around the car, I knew some neighbor or other must be watching, but I didn't care. I crashed right into him, peppering his face with kisses.

He grinned and spun me around in his arms. "Bella! I missed you so much!" he cried. He was too loud- there was definitely someone watching. I looked around, and I could see Mrs. Gallagher down the street, walking her dog. I gave her a wave, which she returned, shaking her head and smiling.

I ducked into the car, and when Edward got in, he was chuckling.

"Okay, what was she thinking?" I asked, smiling back at him.

"She's thinking that I'm too boyishly innocent to hurt anyone. _And_ that I look smoking hot in gray," he added mischievously.

I gasped. "She did not! Mrs. Gallagher's like ninety years old!"

He considered that for a moment. "Hmm, perhaps you're right… she _is_ a bit young for me."

I shook my head, propping my feet up on his dashboard. "Ah, it's nice to be legal again, isn't it?"

"It sure is. As much as I love stalking you in your room, I was getting a little sick of it."

"Let's do something in public this week, so everyone can see how boyishly innocent you are, okay?"

"We'll have to check the Alice-cast. I could wear gray…" he winked at me, and the wink combined with the gray sweater made me sigh. It really wasn't fair how gorgeous he was. There ought to be a law against that. "So," he continued, "Esme has been cooking up a storm today, and Alice has had Emmett and I rearrange the picnic tables and decorations fifteen times so far."

"Decorations? Tables, plural?" I was the only one who was going to eat.

"Call it a family reunion. I'm not the only one who misses you when you're gone, you know."

I blushed. "I'm sure Rosalie's thrilled."

He sighed. "Ah, Rosalie… she might be suddenly occupied in the garage during dinner."

"Just as well. She _hates_ me."

"She doesn't hate you, Bella."

"Whatever. I refuse to think about anything sad today." I wanted to ask him what he and Carlisle had decided about contacting the elders in La Push, but that definitely fell in the _sad_ category.

"I want to help Esme cook when I get there, by the way. I need some serious girl time that _doesn't_ involve makeup."

He burst out laughing. "How did you know?"

"Know what?"

"Alice was going to ambush you as soon as we pulled up. Something about a 'Hawaiian-themed makeover'."

"Yep, I'm definitely cooking with Esme."

.

.

.

When we pulled up to the house, I shrank down in my seat, cautiously peeking out the window... but there was no Alice in sight.

I blew out a breath of relief and headed up the porch, hand in hand with Edward, but then I stopped.

"The front door looks weird."

"It's new. Somebody accidentally broke the old one."

"Gotcha."

"Bella!" Esme cried, suddenly appearing next to me. Edward kissed my cheek and headed over to the living room, where Emmett had a video game already booming. I gave Esme a big hug and we headed into the kitchen together. I was greeted by the delicious smell of baked beans, simmering away in a crockpot, as well as a colorful array of fruit on a huge tray, a tiny pile of raw hamburgers and hot dogs, cookies cooling on a rack, and a huge bowl of ice next to a snow cone machine.

I groaned. "Esme, what is all this?"

"Your welcome-home dinner! I hope you don't mind if we eat early… Emmett has a little surprise for you later," she answered with a twinkle in her golden eyes. "And I think it's sweet that you want to help. You can slice the onions- that's the one job I can't stand."

I washed my hands and started slicing, squinting as the tears started to come. "The smell must be awful in here for you, huh?"

She laughed- I had missed the sound of her laugh. While Alice sounded like tinkling bells, Esme sounded like wind chimes. "Well, I won't say it's _pleasant_ , but I've gotten used to it over the years."

"Years? I thought you had never cooked until I came along."

"No, sweetheart, I've been cooking for… let's see, seventy-seven years, not counting human years, of course. I started out making cookies for the children's ward at Carlisle's hospital- we were in Montana at the time. Over the years, I occasionally added new recipes, mostly for potlucks at either the hospitals or the kids' schools. And I do occasionally send Carlisle and the others off with a homemade lunch, just for appearances."

"Wow."

"But I've never had this much fun in the kitchen," she said warmly. "It's so much fun having a human daughter!" Her smile faltered for just a second. "One who eats, I mean. I _love_ cooking for you."

I thought about that for a moment. I knew Edward was probably listening from the other room, but I decided to go for it anyway. "Esme, does Edward ever… talk about that? About changing me, I mean?"

There was loud curse from Emmett from the living room. "Edward, lighten up! It's no fun beating you when you're not paying attention!" he yelled. I rolled my eyes.

Esme was frozen next to me. After a moment, she relaxed and smiled sadly. "It's not a topic that comes up too often," she said carefully, glancing over toward the living room. Then she looked back at me, eyes gleaming. "But for what it's worth, _I_ want you to spend eternity with us."

Now there was a loud crash from the living room. "Boys!" Esme called. "Take it outside!"

I flinched when I saw Edward fly through the air backwards, crashing into the wall next to the glass patio door and spraying a cloud of drywall bits into the hallway. Esme huffed and shook her head.

"What?" asked Emmett as he appeared in the hall. "You said to take it outside." Would you rather have me throw him _at_ the patio door? Oh, hi, Bella," he grinned, turning to me. "Have I ever mentioned how much more _fun_ Edward is when you come over?" Suddenly he was gone, and I heard the patio door slam shut. I wasn't too alarmed- in the past few weeks, I had spent a lot of time in the Cullen's house and backyard, watching the brothers wrestle. This was definitely the first time I had ever seen Edward get thrown, though. It was my fault, of course, but I refused to feel guilty.

A few minutes later, I heard the front door shut and Carlisle came in as well. "Hello, Bella. It's good to have you back again," he said kindly, hugging me with one hand while he picked up the hot dogs-and-hamburgers plate with the other. "Things just aren't the same around here without you."

"I've missed all of you, too. But you know I can't eat all that."

"Actually, most of it is for practice. I've never actually grilled before," he said with a wink.

My eyes widened. Carlisle didn't know how to do something? "Wait," I said suddenly. "Aren't you… you know, flammable?"

He chuckled. "It doesn't work like that."

"Well, here's the onions. Where are Alice and Jasper?"

He frowned slightly, looking at Esme.

"Jasper needed to hunt," she said quietly, looking him in the eye. "Just a quick stop, and he promised to be back in time for dinner. Alice had stayed to do makeup with Bella, but when she saw that Bella wanted to cook instead, she went to go meet Jasper on his way home."

Esme and I carried the food outside, and she went back in to make me a snow cone. I could see now what Alice had been up to all day- there were two picnic tables, end to end, decorated with a grass skirt tablecloth, and at least a dozen citronella candles lining the center of the tables. There were streamers in the trees, and a full stereo system was set up on the deck.

Edward and Emmett were standing calmly next to the charcoal grill, watching Carlisle as he lit it for the first time ever. The three of them looked like a Norman Rockwell painting- the all-American Dad, flipping burgers as he chatted with his well-dressed, well-behaved sons. _I_ knew better, though. There was a huge patch of grass missing right in the middle of the backyard, and a fresh crater right in the middle of the patch. Both brothers had changed their clothes, and Edward's hair was wet. When Emmett saw me eyeing his new shirt, he grinned, the fire from the grill reflecting off his teeth.

"So, who won?" I asked unnecessarily. Since Edward had been the one to get a shower, he was obviously the one who been pounded into the dirt.

Edward just scowled at his brother, who was cracking his knuckles modestly.

"Hey, Bella, what do you get when you cross a werewolf with a flamethrower?" Emmett asked cheerfully. I just stared at him, and Edward stepped on his foot angrily. "Uh… never mind."

I ignored him and pulled Edward over to the picnic table to sit by me. "So, why did Jasper have to go hunt all of a sudden?"

"He's had a tough week."

"Yeah, it's been hard."

He smiled gently. "It's different for Jasper. He was already anxious about getting Charlie straightened out, and now he's even more anxious about the werewolves. He sees their ability to obscure Alice's visions as a personal threat to her safety. And when Jasper gets anxious, we all get anxious, and that makes Jasper even more anxious… see what I mean?"

I nodded, biting my lip. I knew about Jasper's ability to influence emotions, but I had never thought about how other people's emotions might affect him – he was like an emotional amplifier.

"Anyway, when he gets anxious he gets thirsty. He just wanted to take precautions since you were coming over."

I made a mental note to thank Jasper later. I still didn't feel quite at ease around him, but it was clear he had finally accepted me. A large part of our success in throwing Charlie off the track the other day was because of his willingness to use his gift to help. It was… sweet.

Edward nodded over toward the edge of the yard – they were already back. When Jasper saw me, he stiffened, but smiled kindly. Alice bounded over to me and hugged my shoulders as she bounced.

"Ooh, welcome back, Bella!"

"Thanks, Alice. And sorry about the makeover…"

"It's all right. We still have plenty of summer left for _that_ ," she threatened happily.

"Dinner!" called Carlisle. Everyone came and sat down, and even Rosalie sauntered into the yard, looking incongruous in her pink sundress and motor oil smeared on her hands and forearms. I felt a pang as I thought of Jacob for a moment. He and Rosalie would probably get along, if it wasn't for all this hating-each-other's-species nonsense. They actually had something in _common_. As it was, they would probably never even meet.

The dinner was great, and even Rosalie was making an effort to be sociable, if not friendly. I had gotten over the awkwardness of being the only one eating, and Edward watched me proudly as I stuffed myself.

"So, Jasper, I just wanted to say thank you," I said shyly as I took another cookie. "I know you did a lot to help with the Charlie thing last week, and I really appreciate it."

"It was my pleasure, Bella," he said politely as he inclined his head. "You and Edward have something special, you know. Something worth protecting." Alice pulled him down by the hair to her level and gave him a peck on the cheek. He smiled and I felt a warm cloud of happiness surround me.

"I've been wondering, though," I continued, my courage building, "do you _really_ play the banjo?"

It was suddenly quiet at the table, and everyone was staring at Jasper, who was glaring at Edward.

"Jasper, I didn't know you could play any instruments!" Esme gushed.

Alice, especially, was staring at her husband in awe- she had probably figured she already knew everything there was to know about him. But the past wasn't her game, and I felt rather smug that I had known something that _she_ didn't, for once.

"It was back when I first joined the Confederate army," he muttered. "Banjos were _cool_ back then. I was just trying to fit in..."

Emmett fell off his side of the bench laughing, and even Rosalie cracked a genuine smile, holding up her phone to take a picture of Alice's astounded expression. I was just sitting still, trying not to faint. Did he just say _Confederate_?

"It's too bad we can't have MySpace accounts," Emmett gasped out between guffaws. "Because I bet Forks High would love to see that one!"

Rosalie passed her phone around the table, and laughter erupted around the circle of family members as they saw it. It was quite a picture- Alice's eyebrows were so high they were almost off her head, and her mouth was frozen in a little "o" shape. Even Jasper was laughing now, and for the first time ever, I saw him smile- really smile. It was like someone had taken a ray of sunshine and put it right on his face. He was _beautiful_. And I had never seen Esme so carefree, either, leaning into Carlisle's shoulder and laughing so hard I almost expected tears to come out of her eyes. He had his arm around her, pressing a kiss to her forehead as he watched his "children" with sparkling eyes.

I looked around the table at my family – for this was how I was letting myself think of them lately – and I felt a surge of both hope and fear. Two hundred years from now, these same people would be sitting around in a circle, laughing just like this- unchanged. Would I be there to see it? What would it take for Edward to understand what I wanted? What would it take for him to understand that this was the way it had to be? How _long_ would it take for him to understand?

After dinner, Emmett announced that it was time for my surprise. He disappeared behind the shed, and came out with two poles and a huge net. Edward touched my shoulder and whispered, "Try not to be offended, okay? He wanted to do something special for you."

I nodded, watching as Emmett assembled the volleyball net. "How would I be offended by volleyball?" I whispered back. Edward just smirked back at me.

We all took our positions – Edward, Esme and Carlisle were on my team- and Emmett got ready to serve to us. "Look out, Bella!" he yelled, and flashed me an evil grin as he suddenly jumped ten feet in the air and smashed the ball with his open hand. I screamed and held my arms up to protect my face, but I only felt a light thump against my arms, and everyone was laughing at me. I opened my eyes – arms still up over my face- and saw a _nerf_ volleyball at my feet.

My face grew hot with embarrassment at first. I knew I was a lousy athlete, but did they really need to make fun of me? For just a second I was afraid I might have some tears coming, but then I remembered that the Cullens would never do anything to really hurt my feelings. Even though Emmett did like to tease me, I understood that he was trying to find something fun that we could do together without me bleeding or getting squished. I smiled and soon I was laughing along with them, and I picked up the ball, impressing myself when I managed to get it back over the net.

It sailed over toward Alice, but she didn't reach up to meet it. She was staring straight ahead, and her eyes suddenly closed, a look of defeat on her face. Edward cursed quietly at my side, and everyone flew over to stand around Alice, waiting for whatever bad news was coming.

"It's The Phone," she sighed. "It's going to ring in…" her eyes flew back open in panic. "Two minutes! Jasper!"

Jasper disappeared in a flash, and less than a second later, Edward and I were the only ones standing under the volleyball net.

"Okay, I'm really confused," I admitted as he began pulling me toward the house. "What's so bad about Alice's cell phone ringing?"

"Not _her_ phone," he answered miserably. " _The_ Phone."

**A/N: Anyone want to take a guess what The Phone is? *ominous music***


	17. The Phone

**A/N: I'm so thankful for all the reviews! I'm relatively new to writing, and it's so gratifying and helpful when people respond like you all have. As a little thank you, you guys get to vote which POV the next chapter will be in; see the note at the end of this one.**

**BPOV**

"Okay, I'm really confused," I admitted as he began pulling me toward the house. "What's so bad about Alice's cell phone ringing?"

"Not her phone," he answered miserably. " _The_ Phone."

"Okay…?"

He sighed, placing his hand on my lower back to hurry me along. "Jasper is in charge of the risk management for our family. He has something of a background in military strategy, but he's an expert hacker, and he's also our contact to certain… useful people. But his crowning achievement is the Phone. All of us, especially Carlisle, need to have viable records in order to participate in human life – references from former employers, school transcripts, things like that. Are you following me so far?"

I nodded, my head swimming.

"In this modern era, it's no longer enough to have falsified histories on paper. The advent of the internet has made things a lot more complicated. Also, security is higher now, and people call references more than they used to. So, Jasper created the Phone- it's a central hub for dozens of false phone numbers that we give with our background. Each number has the correct area code for the location it represents, but all the numbers connect back to the Phone. When it rings, the screen tells us not only who's calling, but also which number they're calling, and what organization they think they're contacting. You'll see what I mean."

We were upstairs by now, and he pulled me into Alice and Jasper's room. Everyone was crowded around Jasper's closet, and it looked like he had just finished throwing all of his clothes, shoes and other junk onto their bed. He was kneeling inside the closet, working at superspeed to remove some bolts in the wall. I didn't see why; the wallboard seemed solid. But when he had finished, he reached up and a wooden panel appeared in his hands, revealing a secret compartment in the back of the closet. He reached in and wheeled out a little cart, on which was one of those fancy phones that you see in the school office – only this one appeared to be digital, and had a huge touch screen on top of it. The phone itself was plugged into a laptop which rested just underneath it.

"I don't get it," I whispered to Edward. "Isn't the point of having a phone to be _accessible_?"

"It needs to be well hidden," he explained. "Also, it hasn't rung since we first moved here. Once the school and the hospital had made the calls they felt were necessary, we put it away… leaving it on, of course. It's always set to forward to Jasper's cell, in case Alice wasn't able to warn us ahead of time."

"Of course," I repeated stupidly.

Rosalie whipped her head around to face us, her eyes dark and fierce. "Quiet! It's bad enough she knows about it. The stupid thing wouldn't even be ringing if it weren't for her!"

"What did I do _now_?" I moaned.

"Quiet!" Rosalie hissed again, and the Phone rang.

Jasper turned around. "Rosalie, it's one of yours."

She let out a long-suffering sigh and stomped over to get the phone, taking a brief second to read the screen first. I peeked at the caller ID, and my stomach did a full back flip; it was Charlie's number at the police station.

Rosalie shot me one last glare and picked up the phone. "Bright Future Adoption Agency, may I help you?"

I stared at her, unable to believe what I was hearing. Rosalie's voice, and even her face, had totally transformed. She sounded sweet, maternal even, and her voice itself had dropped half an octave.

"Yes, I'm looking for a Sharon Wells?" I jumped as Charlie's voice came out on speakerphone.

"This is she."

"Hello Sharon, this is Charles Swan, Chief of Police in Forks, Washington. I'm doing a background check on one of our local teens, and I understand his parents, Carlisle and Esme Cullen, adopted him through your agency back in 1995… his birth name was Edward Masen."

"Oh!" Rosalie cried in a syrupy voice. "Of course I remember Eddie Masen. I was his case manager for the two years that he was in foster care. He was one of the few children we worked with who wasn't constantly in trouble."

"I'm not surprised," Charlie muttered.

"Oh, I hope he's not in any trouble now! The family we found for him was so sweet- it was one of those placements where you just _know_ you've found the right home."

"No, he's not in trouble- not yet anyway." I could tell Charlie was talking through his teeth. "I wonder if you could tell me just a bit about his history- you know, personality issues, drugs, stuff like that."

I could hear a growl rumbling quietly in Edward's chest. I laid my hand on his and squeezed it.

Rosalie laughed – not anywhere near the angelic sound I'd heard a few times, but a throaty, earthy chuckle. "Drugs? Well, Eddie _was_ seven years old at the time."

"No, I mean was he a crack baby, or was he ever in traumatic foster care situations, stuff like that."

"Oh, silly me! Well, for starters, Eddie was born into a happy family – no issues that that we ever discovered. His parents were killed in a car crash when he was in Kindergarten. There were no living relatives that we could get a hold of. And his foster care went quite smoothly- I would say the only trauma that we could see was that of losing his parents. He was old enough to understand, and like many children in Eddie's situation, he suddenly became very shy and sensitive. I remember he used to have this purple dinosaur doll..."

Emmett was cracking up now- silently, of course – and Carlisle was shaking his head sternly at Rosalie. "Well, anyway," she continued, "It was certainly an emotional shock to him. But I would say he handled it as well as could be expected. He was still able to form a few friendships, and he didn't have any kind of temper or behavioral issues. If anything, he was too quiet, and that's why we did a bit of counseling. He didn't need much, though."

"Any history of abuse?"

"No. He was only with two foster families, and they both had excellent track records. So, how is Eddie doing? I bet he's a handsome young man by now."

"Oh, I don't really know him. I'm just doing the check as a favor for the local YMCA. They're hiring him as a camp counselor and some of our local kids have special needs, so we try to be very careful with the staff that deal with them."

I raised my eyebrows. Apparently the Cullens weren't the only ones who could lie their way through a cover story.

"Of course. Well, I can't say I've kept up with Eddie or the family that took him, but based on his early development, I can give a glowing recommendation. We strongly believe that most of a child's personality is formed at a very young age."

"Okay, I'll pass that along. Thanks, Sharon."

"Bye-bye."

Rosalie gently hung up the phone. "Well done, sweetie," Esme said. "You haven't had to do _that_ one in a while."

"Very decent of you, Rosalie," Edward said, and she nodded delicately. I felt like applauding and crying all at once – her performance was so convincing, I had actually gotten tears in my eyes.

But before any of us could relax, the Phone rang again.

"It's for the hospital in Fairbanks," Alice said, her eyes staring not at the screen, but off into space.

"Jasper will handle this one," Edward whispered to me.

Jasper waited for two rings and then picked it up, beckoning for Carlisle to come stand next to him.

"Fairbanks Memorial Hospital, Human Resources Department," he said calmly. "Scott Fallston speaking." His voice had changed, just like Rosalie's had- the slight southern drawl was gone, to be replaced by a Native American accent – it reminded me of how some of the older men in La Push spoke. In fact, _Jasper_ sounded old – his voice was scratchy and tired-sounding.

"Mr. Fallston, this is Charles Swan, Chief of Police in Forks, Washington. I'm performing a background check for a doctor who'll be starting at our local hospital soon, and he listed your hospital as a previous employer."

 _Liar, liar_ , Emmett mouthed at me, and Rosalie smacked him silently. I wanted to smack him, too. How could he _possibly_ think this was funny?

"I'll be happy to help," said Jasper, sounding bored. "Name?"

"Carlisle Cullen."

"One moment, please."

Jasper picked up a binder that was laying next to the laptop, and rattled the pages for a few moments – enough for me to see that they were all blank, and I started to feel dizzy. Not only had I just found out that one of my best friends was turning into a werewolf- now I find out that Jasper had been hiding top-secret devices in his closet, complete with a blank notebook of paper for the sole purpose of rattling it, to give the impression that he was looking through files in an office two thousand miles away.

"Maybe you should sit down," suggested Edward, and I sank down on the bed, gripping the edge to hold myself upright.

"Yeah, I remember Dr. Cullen," Jasper continued into the phone, and Carlisle began whispering in Jasper's ear: feeding him his lines, presumably. "One of the brightest young doctors we've ever had up here. Spent most of his time in Emergency, I think –ah, here we go. Carlisle Cullen, MD, born November 8, 1972. Employed October 1998 to April 2003. Duties in Emergency Department, ICU and Thoracic Surgery. Wife, Esme Cullen. Three children, all middle school age..."

"Three?" I whispered to Edward.

He leaned in to whisper back. "Rosalie and Jasper are foster kids this time around, remember? It usually helps with the cover story being accepted if we don't all hit the scene at once. Anyway, it wouldn't have made sense for Carlisle and Esme to have brought foster children from out of state."

I nodded, my head swimming again. Jasper was still rattling off "facts" about Carlisle, loudly turning the pages of the binder as he spoke.

"...Negative drug test, no disciplinary notes in the file. Anything special you're looking for?"

"No, that's good, thanks."

"Any documents you'd like us to fax to you?"

"Nah. Thanks for your help- have a good day."

Jasper hung up, and everyone looked at Alice expectantly.

"He's calling the Fairbanks DMV now," she said. "He's verifying Esme's old driver's license number."

"Who's going to this one?" I asked.

Jasper smiled. "That one's real. We only provide false numbers when absolutely necessary. It's a piece of cake to add a file on the DMV's central server, or to add and delete names off a school alumni register. The hard part is the personal references, like the two we just handled."

"So you just made up the adoption agency, and the hospital?"

"No, that would be unwise," Carlisle said. "We used to do that more often, but it's too risky now. It would be much too easy for someone like Charlie to search online for an adoption agency, if he wanted any details, and he would discover that it didn't exist. No, whenever possible we use real organizations. Only the contact information is false. Nobody is going to go online to look up a phone number when it's given to them already."

Jasper nodded. "Also, most of the numbers we give have a three-digit extension for the person to dial in order to reach the right office. Seeing the extension makes even a curious person unwilling to call a more generic number, when they think they might end up having to navigate a series of menus."

"But there are real records to be found, as well," Carlisle added. "This is one way that the internet makes our deception easier. If someone were to call the real number for Bright Future Adoption Agency, for example, they would find a complete file on Edward's adoption back in 1994. Since most organizations store their records electronically these days, all Jasper has to do is hack into their databases and change the dates each time we move."

"Wow," I breathed, staring at Jasper with new respect. "How did you come up with all of this?"

"Well, I do have some unique insights into human nature." He winked. "And I've studied anthropology, computer science, and sociology at various schools we've been to. Also, I am associated with some people who do these kinds of things for a living. You pick up the tricks of the trade after a few decades."

"Jasper and Rosalie handle most of the calls," Emmett put in. "It's one of the reasons they like to pose as the quiet Hale twins- so that their voices are the least recognizable." It seemed odd for Emmett to join such a serious conversation- he usually had some sort of wisecrack coming or going. I wondered how many college degrees _he_ had.

"All right, it looks like Charlie's done," Alice announced, and everyone echoed her sigh of relief.

Edward put his arm around my shoulders and gently drew me closer. "That must have been overwhelming for you," he sighed.

Rosalie rolled her eyes, and opened her mouth to speak.

"You can keep _that_ to yourself," Edward snapped, and she pursed her lips delicately.

"Oh, come _on_!" Alice growled suddenly, stamping her foot.

"Now what?" Carlisle asked, frowning.

"Charlie is driving me crazy! I've never seen anyone so unsure of their own mind," she complained. "He's reading through a folder full of our records. I keep seeing him calling different numbers, then he decides not to. It's very annoying."

"What kind of records, other than the three we know about?" asked Jasper.

"Immunization records, school transcripts, tax documents… nothing we can't handle. Oh, Jazz, there's your science fair letter!"

"Alice, I don't mean to criticize," said Esme gently, "But how could Charlie have gotten all this together without you seeing it? I know you've been working hard to watch him all week."

"Well, not hard enough, apparently," Alice growled, shutting her eyes again. "I've been checking in an average of twice an hour. He made a couple of calls this morning, but they weren't a big deal. There's no way he could have done all this in the past week with me seeing… wait, on the Forks High transcripts there's a print date. It _was_ printed today."

"Well, someone else must have been making decisions. Do you think a werewolf might be involved?" asked Edward.

"No, I would have seen that. Or rather, _not_ seen it, if you know what I mean."

Carlisle frowned, sharing a glance with Edward. "Regardless of who is helping Charlie, Billy Black is partly to blame for Charlie's interest. But that's not going to be a problem anymore. We had a little talk this morning, and he agreed not to say anything else to Charlie."

"How did you ask him about it, without revealing Edward's talent?" I asked.

"I told him that you had told us about his comments when you visited his house Saturday night. I told him that it had upset you. I hope you don't mind my presumption, Bella. It seemed to be our only option."

"No, it's okay. I'm glad to… help, I guess."

We all fell silent for a few minutes, while Alice read along with Charlie. It was like being alone in a room full of statues- I could hear my breathing echo like I was in a museum.

"Jasper," suggested Carlisle after a while, "Maybe you should head down to the Police Station and-"

"No, it's going to be alright. He's closing the folder now," Alice interrupted. "He's putting it in a drawer in his desk… I don't see anything untoward happening tonight, or tomorrow morning."

Jasper disconnected the laptop from the phone and zipped over to the bed. He sat on it cross-legged and began typing, his fingers a blur over the keyboard. "It's a good sign that he only called a few of the numbers," he said as he worked. "It means he's really not that suspicious. I'll go back with Bella and Edward tonight, just to get a feel for where his emotions are."

"We'll call you with anything we learn later," Edward said to Carlisle.

"Well, we better get going then," I said. "The Mariners are playing again tonight, and neither of you are going to get much once the game starts."

Edward suddenly tensed beside me. "Let's go downstairs, Bella," he said quickly, pulling me to my feet. "I'm sure you don't want to watch Alice reorganize Jasper's closet."

"I'll be ready in three minutes," Jasper murmured from the bed.

As we left the room, I looked back to say goodbye to everyone. My eyes were drawn to Esme's face- she was staring at me with a strange expression, but it disappeared as soon as we made eye contact. "Goodnight, Bella. I know it ended on a stressful note, but I hope you enjoyed yourself."

I went back in to give her a hug. "I always do, Esme. You all made this night so special- especially you, Emmett," I grinned over to the vampire who treated me like a little sister. "I'd like to try volleyball again next time."

Emmett was unusually solemn as he nodded back to me.

"Bella," Edward called from the hallway. "Let's go." He sounded anxious, so I hurried out to meet him.

"What?" I whispered, but he just took my hand and pulled me toward the stairs.

.

.

.

I turned to Edward as soon as he got in the car. "What was the matter back there?" I demanded. "You practically pushed me out the door."

"I'm sorry," he said absently, staring ahead at nothing. "It's just that I thought Charlie was done being suspicious."

I watched his face as we sat in silence. When he winced suddenly for no reason, I knew he was listening to his family's thoughts.

"You know what they say about eavesdropping," I said lightly, trying to snap him out of it.

His eyes drifted back to mine, and they looked pained. "Ah, Bella…" he sighed as he looked down, reaching for my hand.

"This is going to keep happening, you know," I muttered under my breath.

"What?"

"Stuff like this. People being suspicious, evil tracker vampires, freak accidents, elaborate cover stories… it's not meant to be this way."

"I know it's not," he said darkly.

I turned further in my seat to face him. "That's not what I meant! What I meant is that we can't go like this forever. I'm not _meant_ to be human, Edward."

He turned his head and looked casually out his window, but his grip tightened on the steering wheel, and I thought I heard a crunching sound.

"Look," I said stubbornly, "I know you don't like talking about this, but it's not going to just go away. All your normal arguments aside, can't you at least admit that it would be _easier_?"

He sighed, still looking away. "Let's not talk about this right now, all right? It's been a long day."

"Vampires don't get tired."

" _You_ can keep your opinions to yourself," he snapped suddenly, and I flinched. Had I pushed him too far?

"Well, I'm sorry," came a voice from the backseat, and I spun around to find my face inches from Jasper's. He was glaring at the back of Edward's head. "But if you weren't such a pig-headed masochist, I wouldn't need to keep repeating myself," he growled.

I squirmed in my seat. I could feel the waves of tension rising exponentially inside the car, and I felt like I was suffocating.

"Oh- I'm sorry, Bella," Jasper said, in a gentler voice. Instantly, I felt warm and I could see Edward's shoulders relaxing along with my own, and I finally let out the breath I had apparently been holding.

Edward finally let go of the steering wheel, and I could see the gouges his fingers had just made. He finally started the car and then turned on the CD player, and I smiled when _Clair de Lune_ began playing. The engine purred along with the music, and if it wasn't for the fact that we were soon flying down the road at a hundred miles an hour, I might have been able to relax.

Edward picked up my hand again, and began rubbing circles with his thumb, in time with the music. He was obviously intending to distract me, but it wasn't happening. Something was bothering him- something other than the phone calls, and I wasn't going to let it go.

**A/N: Kudos to Leila, who guessed that Charlie was the one calling! But my favorite guess was from NattyNel80: the Volturi hotline LOL!**

**So the next chapter Bella and Edward will be having a little *relationship status* talk, and I hadn't yet decided which point of view to use. There's pros and cons to each, and you know miscommunication will abound. So, whose eyes would you like to see that through, Bella or Edward? Majority wins!**


	18. Impasse

**A/N: The votes are in, and Edward wins. Angst and verbosity it is, then!**

**EPOV**

"Jasper," suggested Carlisle, "Maybe you should head down to the Police Station and-"

"No, it's going to be alright. He's closing the folder now," Alice interrupted. "He's putting it in a drawer in his desk… I don't see anything untoward happening tonight, or tomorrow morning."

We all breathed a collective sigh of relief. We had handled all these calls before, but this had been different. We had had to leave suddenly, when Emmett or Jasper slipped up. But we had never dealt with real suspicion before… not like this. We had always left before it could get this bad.

Jasper took the laptop over to the bed and began writing a program that would alert him to any official inquiries regarding the Cullen name. He was covering all the major intelligence agencies- if anyone so much as typed our name into one of their servers, he would know about it.

"It's a good sign that he only called a few of the numbers," he said as he worked. "It means he's really not that suspicious. I'll go back with Bella and Edward tonight, just to get feel for where his emotions are." _This is getting ridiculous, Edward._

I ignored him, and turned to nod to Carlisle. "We'll call you with anything we learn later."

"Well, we better get going then," Bella said. "The Mariners are playing again tonight, and neither of you are going to get much once the game starts."

I smiled sadly. Bella was taking everything in stride- of course. She had just seen something that would have earned anyone else a death sentence, and here she was helping coordinate our next phase of strategy. And it was uncanny how well she understood the nature of our psychic gifts.

_She's amazing, Edward. This has to have been overwhelming for her- all of this. And yet she's taking to our life so naturally. Surely you can see that she's meant to be one of us._

I frowned back at Esme. It was bad enough what she had said to Bella in the kitchen before dinner. She _knew_ how I felt about changing Bella. She _knew_ that it wasn't a subject I wanted discussed in front of her. Why couldn't she just leave it alone? I didn't want to be disrespectful, but I let her see my eyes harden in warning.

She held my gaze. _This isn't just about you and Bella. This is about all of us! We love Bella, too, you know. I meant what I said earlier. I want her to be a part of this family, and I know Bella wants it too. It's not fair of you to deny her._

"Enough," I growled under my breath.

_No, it's not enough! It's not your sole responsibility to determine Bella's future. If we were to put this to a vote…_

I could see through Jasper's gift that Esme was getting angry, and determined. She was opening her mouth to speak aloud to Bella.

"Bella," I choked out quickly. "Let's go downstairs. I'm sure you don't want to watch Alice reorganize Jasper's closet." I grabbed her hand and pulled her over towards the door. I had to get her out of here!

Jasper glanced back and forth between Esme and I. "I'll be ready in three minutes," he said loudly. I glared back at him, and he smirked at the computer screen. It was a lie- he would be ready in thirty seconds. He just wanted to talk to Esme before he left, and find out what had just happened.

I tugged again on Bella's hand, but she resisted me and turned back around – to Esme. I held my breath as Esme wavered for a moment, but then she relaxed her expression and accepted Bella's embrace.

"Goodnight, Bella. I know it ended on a stressful note, but I hope you enjoyed yourself." Esme glared at me over Bella's shoulder. _We need to talk later, Edward. I'll hold my peace… for now._

Bella gave Esme one more squeeze. "I always do, Esme. You all made this night so special- especially you, Emmett. I'd like to try volleyball again next time."

She grinned over at him. Emmett just frowned and nodded back to her. _This girl is unbelievable, Edward. It's like she's already a part of our family! Why haven't you changed her yet? What if she gets hit by a bus tomorrow? It would be your fault if she died, you know._

 _Drop it,_ I mouthed back to him behind Bella's back.

_No, man, I'm serious! This girl has a kill me sign on her back or something! What's next, an airplane crashing on top of her? A rare disease? She's going to die eventually, and if you don't change her first, it's like you're killing her yourself. You know that, right?_

I had to clench my hands at my sides in order to keep from attacking him. I backed away from him out into the hallway, shaking my head in warning. I would never hurt Esme, but so help me-

 _Well, I'm impressed_ , Rosalie shot at me. _I thought seeing all that would freak her out. You know I wish you would just leave her alone, but even I have to admit she's a natural._

For God's sake, even Rosalie! "Bella," I murmured anxiously. "Let's go."

She came to me, and I grabbed her hand again in relief, pulling her away from my family.

"What?" she whispered.

I just shook my head angrily, guiding her down the stairs. Back up in Jasper and Alice's bedroom, Esme was telling everyone her ridiculous idea about the vote.

"I agree," murmured Jasper. "This should be Bella's decision, not Edward's. Hers and the family's."

I was fuming by this time, and after I helped Bella into the car, I glanced up at Alice's window.

"Well, I'm voting no," Rosalie said hotly. "It's Edward's fault that she knows immortality is even possible, and if _he_ doesn't think she should be changed, then I don't see what right any of _you_ have to take her life away."

"Rosalie has a point," Carlisle said carefully. "But the fact remains, Bella knows now. And if she wants to be with her mate forever- how can we stand in the way of that?"

This was too much. "I'm standing right here, you know," I growled. I knew they heard me, because Jasper registered Carlisle's sudden guilt. I walked around the car and slumped into the driver's seat, slamming the door behind me. I could feel Bella's eyes on me, but I was too angry to speak.

"What happened back there?" she asked. "You practically pushed me out the door."

"I'm sorry," I ground out, trying to sound calm. "It's just that I thought Charlie was done being suspicious."

"And the longer he leaves her human, the more risks we take," Jasper was saying. "Just look at us. Fielding phone calls from her _father_! And if that weren't bad enough, he's the Chief of Police! I don't want to be put in a position where I need to eliminate him, but I'll do it if this nonsense continues any further." _And I mean it, Edward. I swear I'll do it if you keep jeopardizing this family._

I winced. He _would_ do it, if he thought Alice was in danger. Not that the humans could hurt us, of course. But if things got too bad, we would have to abandon our human charade for several decades. It would mean a life in the wilderness, and she would be unhappy. He _would_ kill to prevent that from happening. I had no doubt of that.

"You know what they say about eavesdropping," Bella said suddenly.

I just looked at her. How did she even know what I had been doing? _Oh, that's right_ , I thought bitterly. _She's a natural._ "Ah, Bella…"

Jasper was standing at the upstairs window now, looking down at me. _Edward, I don't want to hurt Charlie. Please, listen to what we're saying. Things like this are going to keep happening, and you can't put her fate off forever. You can't put HER off forever._

"This is going to keep happening, you know," Bella sighed.

"What?" I put my hand on the steering wheel, tapping it impatiently. Come on, Jasper…

"Stuff like this. People being suspicious, evil tracker vampires, freak accidents, elaborate cover stories… it's not meant to be this way."

"I know it's not," I said darkly. _None_ of this was supposed to be happening. I was supposed to be _dead_ , for one thing. Bella wasn't supposed to be trying to end her life at seventeen. And my family certainly wasn't supposed to be voting on whether or not to kill an innocent girl.

She turned angrily to face me. "That's not what I meant! What I meant is that we can't go like this forever. I'm not _meant_ to be human, Edward."

The steering wheel finally collapsed into my hand, and I clenched my teeth in fury. I couldn't believe she just _said_ that. She might as well be upstairs, laughing along with them as they all planned her death! Was I the only one who was making any sense here? I couldn't answer Bella. I couldn't even look at her. I suddenly felt tired- not just weary, but tired. And it wasn't Jasper's doing- he was concentrating on kissing Alice goodbye.

"Look," Bella continued, "I know you don't like talking about this, but it's not going to just go away. All your normal arguments aside, can't you at least admit that it would be _easier_?"

I closed my eyes, sighing. "Let's not talk about this right now, all right? It's been a long day."

"Vampires don't get tired."

Jasper was coming out now, and circled around to slip into the backseat. _Carlisle is abstaining for now, but it's already_ _four to one. We don't need your vote, as it turns out._

"Jasper, don't," I whispered in agony. Why were they doing this to me?

_Edward, why are you so blind? She's desperate to give her life to you. Just let her do it!_

I shook my head minutely. Bella was still staring at me, waiting for my answer.

 _You know what I think?_ Jasper thought angrily. _I think you're afraid of being happy. I think you're refusing to admit that she knows exactly what she's doing. You're just using her humanity as an excuse at this point. That's it, isn't it? You're afraid of being happy, and you're willing to let her die in order to-_

" _You_ can keep your opinions to yourself," I snapped at him over my shoulder.

"Well, I'm sorry," he sneered, "but if you weren't such a pig-headed masochist, I wouldn't need to keep repeating myself."

I gripped the steering wheel harder, and my hand began trembling as I ached to spin around and attack him. But Bella was in the car.

"Oh- I'm sorry, Bella," Jasper said, in a gentler voice, and he lowered the tension that had been building. Against my will, I felt my shoulders and fingers relax, and Bella blew out a breath beside me. She had been caught in the crossfire of Jasper's gift, of course. I hadn't even considered her proximity to our emotions. I hadn't meant for her to-

 _Cut it out, Edward,_ Jasper growled mentally. _You're a mess as it is. Guilt isn't going to help._

I forced myself to let go of the steering wheel, and I busied my hands in starting the engine and turning on the Debussy CD. We all needed to calm down, and I was sure Bella wanted to discuss her mortality again. If I could just keep her distracted long enough, maybe we could make the drive to her house without me doing anything stupid.

.

.

.

We were too late. When we pulled up to the house, Charlie was just letting out a whoop as the Mariners scored their first run.

"Oh, well," Bella said blankly. She was staring up at me expectantly. I glanced over at Jasper, and he nodded to confirm my fear.

_Her determination has been growing the whole drive over here. You're going to have to deal with this._

I slipped my hand around Bella's gently. Apart from Jasper's talent, her touch was the one thing that could keep me grounded, and I needed to stay calm if I was going to have this conversation with her. I didn't even know what I was going to _say_ yet.

"Jasper, Bella and I are going to go for a walk." I tossed him the keys. "Hide the car, will you? Charlie won't be expecting her back yet."

He nodded and headed back to the car. _I'll call Carlisle, and then I'll keep an eye on Charlie. Take your time._

"You're welcome to leave," I muttered under my breath.

He just smiled calmly back at me. Traitor.

I turned to Bella. "It's such a nice evening," I said lamely. "And I didn't mean for our day to end so quickly. Maybe we could just walk in the woods for a bit."

She moved ahead of me toward the trees. "That's a good idea, because we need to talk about this, if you don't mind."

"I know." I let out a sigh, and followed her into the shadows.

.

.

.

We must have walked for three hours in silence. Bella opened her mouth several times, but always seemed to change her mind _._ I was done trying to distract her, though. This conversation had to happen- preferably _before_ my family made Bella their offer. At least while we were alone, I would be able to think clearly.

Too soon Bella slowed to a stop, and we sat down on a fallen tree. We were in a small clearing, and there was a full moon rising, casting a shimmering radiance on my arms as it combined with the sunset. Bella's face was a muted silver, and her eyes were soft as she watched my own. She reached up and lightly touched my cheek- she was watching the moonlight's reflection on my skin. I looked down to where my hands were holding hers on her lap. The glow on my hands intertwined with the duller light on her own, and I glanced back up at her. She was staring at our joined hands, looking thoughtful.

Was she wishing our hands looked the same?

I certainly was. But I was wishing my skin could be like hers- pale in the moonlight, without the glittering reminder of my alienness. To be human with her, for her- it would be so simple. No more risk, no more alibis, no more dilemmas – not this kind, anyway. _Normal_ dilemmas.

This week had been one of the hardest in my life, and it wasn't because of our discovery about the werewolves. It was because I had lost the trust of Bella's father. I hadn't truly had it to begin with- I knew that. But I had been working on it. Never mind that we were lying to him constantly, or that I spent every night in his house, in his daughter's room without his knowledge. The point was, he had just been beginning to relax around me, and then this happened. Even if I never made a mistake again, he would always look at me with suspicion. And he was right to, of course. Even _I_ couldn't blame him for calling the adoption agency today. I had a grudging respect for his desire to protect Bella from me. It was his job, really.

So where was I to go from here? It was likely that he still harbored doubts. Jasper and Rosalie had aced their performances today, but I was discovering that Charlie was an intuitive man. He was much like Bella, in fact. He had a knack for noticing details, and it had been obvious even before Phoenix happened that something wasn't quite right about me. Would it be best if Bella and I pretended to see less of each other? If he thought the relationship was cooling down, he wouldn't _need_ to keep being suspicious.

But the thought of lying to him even more was repulsive. I had been careful to hide from Bella how desperately I wanted Charlie's approval; it was clear she didn't think much of it herself. But what I wouldn't give to be Bella's normal, human beau. Not the kind that roamed the halls of Forks High- not a _boyfriend_. I hated the word with a passion. It was so… inadequate. I wanted to go back in time, back to _my_ time. I wanted to present myself to Charlie in my Sunday best, and respectfully ask his permission to court his daughter. Much of our time together would be with family, and Bella and I would finish each day together sitting and talking on her porch swing, where Charlie could peek out the window. He would able to overhear whatever he wanted, because I wouldn't be up to anything unsavory.

I had been truly taken aback last week when Charlie asked if I had taken his daughter's virtue. The idea was so forbidden, so horrible that even if I were human, I still would have been offended. Of course, he had less to worry about than he seemed to think – the very thought of _being_ with her burned my mind. Mostly because of the danger, but also because of the impossibility. To think that I would want to dishonor her like that… I mean, of course I _wanted_ it. I wasn't really made of stone, after all. But it galled me that he was practically assuming it had already happened. I truly wished that I could have answered _that_ thought. And as for his other thoughts- the image of marrying her, and giving her a child… well, I had enough to worry about without torturing myself with _that_.

"So." I jerked my eyes open as Bella finally spoke. All my rambling thoughts flew away and my focus was back in her in an instant. What was she thinking right now? I tried for the millionth time to listen in on the space between her ears- nothing, of course. Once, just as an experiment, I had tried for a full two hours while she slept, and had only succeeded in getting a headache.

"What is it, love?" I asked softly, brushing her hands with my thumbs.

"Are you going to tell me what happened back at your house? When we were leaving?"

"Jasper was writing a program for-"

"I don't care what Jasper was doing! I want to know what they were thinking that upset you so much."

I sighed, closing my eyes. How honest could I be with her? I couldn't keep her from my family forever, and I couldn't trust them to honor my wishes any longer. I might as well be honest, before she asked the _really_ difficult question.

"My family was… impressed by you tonight."

"Impressed regarding what? And don't say my volleyball prowess."

"They were impressed by your ability to adapt, to take in stride the new things you've learned this week, especially about the Phone. Also, they're impressed by how easily you comprehend the scope of our psychic gifts."

"Oh, well… that's nice."

"I thought so, too. Even Rosalie was proud of you."

Bella raised her eyebrows and smiled cautiously. "Wow. So, this made you upset because…?"

I released Bella's hands and stood up, turning away from her. Her touch, her eyes were like a drug, relaxing me and making me talk too much. I didn't want to be too forthcoming about what my family had said. This would take some delicacy…

"They think you're… ready."

Bella was quiet for a moment, and I forced myself to stay turned away from her. I didn't want her to get the wrong impression.

"And you?" she whispered.

"My feelings on that matter are unchanged."

"That I'm not ready?"

I whirled to face her now. "Bella, no one is ever _ready_. It's not supposed to happen to _anyone_! Least of all you!"

I didn't need Jasper's gift to recognize the hurt on her face. I lowered myself to kneel in front of her, and I reached up to smooth away the wrinkles on her forehead. "Bella, we've talked about this before. I don't _want_ this for you."

"And what about what _I_ want?"

"Your feelings are human, Bella. They're subjective, fleeting."

"The way I feel about you isn't _fleeting._ " She was beginning to get angry now.

"I was referring to your desire to end your life." I refused to discuss the ephemeral nature of her feelings for me. That was _my_ burden, not hers.

"I'm not the only one that wants it, you know."

"Alice doesn't count."

"I'm not talking about Alice! Didn't you hear what Esme said to me today? She wants me to be in her family forever! I know you heard her, or you wouldn't have been pummeled so badly by Emmett."

I chuckled lightly. "That much is true. He's very grateful, by the way."

"All I'm saying is, you're not the only vampire I care about. I love your family, and I want to be with them, forever, too. Esme wants it, too. And I'd bet that Alice-"

"It's four to one," I blurted out. Why not? Jasper would probably blab it when we got back to the house, anyway.

"Excuse me?"

"They took a vote," I said tiredly. "While we were waiting for Jasper to come out to the car. Everyone except Carlisle has voted, and it's four to one."

"You lost me. What are they voting on?"

"Overruling me."

"Oh… _Oh_." Understanding lit up her eyes and she smiled. "That's interesting. Rosalie was the dissenter, I'm guessing?"

"Yes. Listen to me, Bella. It's doesn't matter what they think. I am not going to allow _anyone_ to take your life away from you. I will take you away from them, if I have to."

She was chewing her lip- a mannerism that always made me nervous. It was usually followed by a statement so random, so ludicrous that I was always unprepared.

"Well, it's not like it matters."

She had lost me already. "What do you mean, it's not like it matters?"

"Well, if you don't want me for eternity, I'm obviously not going to force myself on you."

I stared at her. Surely she didn't just…

"I'm sorry, did you just say that you think I don't _want_ you?"

She just looked down at her hands.

I lifted her chin up, forcing her to look at me. "Bella, how could you possibly think that? The very idea is, is-"

"What am I supposed to think?" she asked finally. Her voice was flat, empty… accepting.

I finally stood up, looking around the clearing for inspiration, looking for answers, looking at _anything_ except Bella's lifeless face. What was I supposed to tell her? How many times had I had to pull myself back, to avoid crushing her with my love? How often had I reined myself in, forcing out a light-hearted jest so she wouldn't be frightened by the intensity of my worship? Was it possible that I needed to let her see _more_? I ran my fingers through my hair, my mind spinning.

What could I say? Could I really allow myself to be _honest_ with her about the quality of my love? Could I admit to her that I was an empty shell every second that I was away from her? That I would give anything, that I would _kill_ to be human with her? That I wanted to lock her away in a tower, not just for her safety but so that no one but me could look at her? That every time I kissed her, I had to pretend there was a glass wall between us, so I wouldn't lose my mind? That sending my venom coursing through her body was the only way to save my own life? That marrying her, making her mine for eternity was the most beautiful, the most horrible thing I could conceive of?

No, I couldn't do it. I _couldn't_. She had to be able to be free someday, when the time came. I could never let her see what my love was really like, or she would stay with me the rest of her life, even after her own feelings had changed. Bella was the most selfless soul I had ever encountered; it was exactly the sort of thing she would do.

But then I looked down at her again. She was frozen, still waiting for my answer. She wasn't even _breathing_. She had her arms wrapped around her ribs, as if she were trying to hold herself together. I had to give her something – she looked like she was waiting for me to give her the oxygen for her next breath.

I knew the feeling, of course. My whole universe was bent on her, on every word she said to me. Back when I was still unsure if she returned my love, I had been in constant pain. She was in pain now, and I simply couldn't leave her with this doubt. It was selfish, but I really had no choice. But what should I say?

I finally sat down next to her again, and I gently pulled her shoulders around so that she was facing me. She was shivering, even though the night was warm.

"Bella," I began carefully, "perhaps I haven't been… clear. My love for you is something I never knew was possible. It's like I wasn't even _alive_ until I met you. I can't fathom how I survived even one day before it. Your presence is like oxygen to me. I can't even breathe until I know that you're happy."

"I feel the same way," she said quietly. "Only…"

She was chewing her lip again.

"Only you've told me before what love is like for your kind. The _permanence_ of it…."

"So?"

A blush rose to her cheeks, and her words came out in a rush. "So if you can just… just settle for one measly lifetime with me, then how can you say that you want me? If you can just let me grow old and die, and move on after that, then how can you even compare it to what your parents have? What Alice and Jasper have?

"Move _on_?" I asked incredulously.

She nodded, and I finally lost control. "Bella, there isn't going to be any moving _on_."

"What are you talking about?"

"Weren't you listening? I can't survive without you! The day your life ends will be the day that…" I finally clamped my mouth shut, horrified at what I had just told her. She wasn't ever supposed to know _that_ much.

She was staring at me now, comprehension turning quickly to anger. "You can't!" she choked out.

"There won't be any other option."

"But your family!"

I shrugged. "They'd do the same thing, in my position. It's the way we are. When vampires mate, it's for life. On the unlikely occasion that one of their lives should end… well, that's it."

She was blushing furiously now. "Well it's not like that for us. You said we would never be able to… you know."

"It doesn't matter. The term refers to soul mates, really, more than anything else."

"Change me, then."

"No."

"Edward! If what you've been saying is true, I can't understand what's stopping you! Everything about us is telling you to do it!"

"Not _everything_."

"What, then?"

"It's your soul."

She blinked. "My soul."

I nodded in defeat. I hadn't wanted to get into this either- the subject was… well, too subjective. "Bella, what we are… it's not supposed to happen. You know that I feel that way. You see, when someone dies, that's supposed to be it. Freed from its body, the soul is able to go wherever it's bound. But when the body lingers on, in this most unnatural, inhuman state, the soul can't possibly be salvaged. True humanity is incompatible with what we are. We're not driven by morals, or by fear any longer. We're driven by the desire to murder. Yes, even my family," I added quickly, holding up my hand to stop her interruption. "We're always fighting the current. It's never going to be natural, what we do. We're soulless monsters, Bella. Oh, we can find some happiness, some purpose- look at Carlisle and Esme. But it's not the real thing."

I took a deep breath, watching her.

"So… where do you think your soul is now?" she asked gently.

I laughed bitterly. "I don't know. Nowhere? Hell? Certainly not where _yours_ is headed."

"And you don't want to change me because you don't want that for me."

"Precisely." I would never tell her of my other fear, the more selfish one. The fear that she would someday realize – like Rosalie- what I had taken away from her, and that she would hate me for it.

She snorted suddenly. "Well, that's the dumbest reason yet."

"Pardon me?"

"First of all, if what you say is true, you're condemning us to be _apart_ for eternity!"

"Bella…"

"And it's not true anyway. If anyone is bound for heaven, it's you! It's Esme, it's Carlisle!"

"Even if I'm wrong, and they had a chance… not me. I know what I've done."

"You were doing what was natural! And your conscious- your soul- brought you back out of it!"

"Bella, I've had a long time to think about this. This is what I believe."

"Well, you're _wrong_ ," she said, crossing her arms with finality.

I sighed. "It seems we're back at the impasse, then."

"Looks like it."

I stood up, gently pulling her to her feet. "The game will be over soon. I need to…"

"I know," she said miserably. "Let's go."

I stood, unmoved, holding her back. "Bella, wait. When you said you felt the same way, the way that I explained my love… did you really mean that?"

"No. It's _more_ than what you said."

"Ah."

"Edward, I'm not very good at saying things like you are. Just take my word for it, okay? It's more." She set her mouth defiantly, daring me to disagree with her. Suddenly I had to kiss her – it was the only way I could make her understand. The only way I could tell her the things I wasn't allowed to tell her.

"For me, as well," I whispered, and I closed the space between us. My lips moved on hers, and for just the briefest second, I let myself ignore the rules. She gasped at the change, and I had to stop immediately after that- after all we had just talked about, it was the wrong time to test my boundaries. I gently pushed her away, sighing along with her.

"I wish you didn't have to stop, just then," she growled quietly.

I turned and knelt, nodding over my shoulder. She climbed on my back, and soon we were flying through the moonlit forest.

 _I wish that too, Bella,_ I thought as I ran. _I wish that too._


	19. Conversations

**A/N: This chapter contains direct quotes from Eclipse.**

**EPOV**

"I haven't gotten much out of him," Jasper reported when we got back. "It might help if Bella sits with him for a while." _I need to talk to you. Alone._

I nodded. "I agree. Bella, I'll be there when Charlie is asleep, all right?"

"Okay." She headed in the front door without another word.

Jasper turned on me as soon as the door clicked shut. "What did you _say_ to her?"

"Don't start, Jasper. I'm not in the mood."

"You should be more interested in what mood _she's_ in."

I sighed impatiently. Charlie would see Bella in less than two seconds, and I didn't have time for this. "All right, what mood is Bella in?"

"Not a good one."

"Would you get to the point?"

"She's feeling hopeless, and unworthy."

Charlie forgotten, I focused on Jasper as he played the memory of seeing Bella through his gift a moment ago. I couldn't believe it- he was right. I grudgingly understood the hopelessness- I had just refused her request again. But I was completely baffled by the feelings of unworthiness. Hadn't we just professed a deeper level of love to each other than we ever had before?

"Hey, Bells!" Charlie called from the living room. "You're home early." Jasper and I moved over to the edge of the yard, where we could see better.

"Yeah, Jasper wanted to get back home to watch the rest of the game."

"Jasper?"

"He gave me a ride back. Edward's not allowed to drive, remember?"

"Oh, yeah." _Too bad he has a houseful of chauffeurs._ "So, wanna finish the game with your old man?"

She shrugged and sat down on the end of the couch nearest him, curling up with a book in one hand.

Jasper smirked at me. "She's mad."

"At me?"

"No, at Charlie. Can you blame her?"

"No. I wish I could blame _him_ , but I can't. He's doing the right thing, not trusting me."

"I'm glad to see we agree on _something_."

I turned on him, losing my patience. "All right, what?"

"I had an interesting talk with Carlisle while you were… whatever it was you were doing with Bella to make her feel like crap."

I motioned for him to continue.

"He finally cast his vote." _Five to one, brother. You lose._

I just shook my head in disbelief. My own father!

"Anyway, he's going to talk to Bella about it, and make her an offer."

A growl began rising in my chest. "What kind of offer?"

"He wants her to turn eighteen first, and graduate high school. It'll give her more time to think about it, and it'll raise less suspicion… _if_ we can make it that long, of course."

"It's nice to know my family takes my wishes so seriously," I said sarcastically. I wasn't surprised at the rest of them- but I was furious at Carlisle. He was the one whose vote really counted- and the one person I thought I could count on. His betrayal felt like a physical blow.

"Like I said, it turns out we don't need your vote, but feel free to chip in."

"Anyway, it doesn't matter. Bella won't accept the offer."

"If you would just- what?"

"I already told her about the vote, and she's not willing to accept the offer, unless I'm the one making it. So you can all back off."

He crossed his arms, eyeing me skeptically. _You're telling the truth, aren't you? Interesting… I wouldn't have expected this from her. I guess that unworthiness is stronger than I thought._

I just ignored him. "Let's focus on business, shall we?"

We both turned back to focus on Charlie. There wasn't much to observe, unless I wanted to hear the baseball game in stereo. We stood silently until the game was over.

Charlie stretched his arms up in the air, yawning. "Well, that's that. So did you have a good time over there?"

"Yeah. It was nice seeing the Cullens again- _all_ of them." It sounded like a challenge, and I smiled. She was getting good at these reconnaissance missions.

 _Great. Guess I won't be seeing much of her the rest of the summer._ "That's nice. Well, g'night, sweetheart." _Imagine how angry she'd be if she knew I had been checking up on them!_

"Night, Dad." She put her bookmark back in place and headed up the stairs to take her shower. Jasper and I kept a close eye on Charlie as he bummed around the kitchen for a few minutes, and he was soon snoring in bed.

Jasper relaxed his military posture, and turned to me.

"I picked up a little guilt, but no determination. You?"

"Nothing out of the ordinary. He seems resigned to the fact that he won't be seeing Bella as much now. And no plans to continue investigating. It looks like we're out of the woods."

"I've heard _that_ before."

"I'll still keep a close eye over the next few nights."

"You should consider spending some time near the station. It seems he doesn't do much of his thinking at home…. and I'll feel a lot better when he throws out that folder he's got on us. Well, guess I'll drive back, since you're not _allowed_ ," he teased.

I smiled back. Jasper and I could get pretty fired up at each other sometimes – and his gift certainly had a tendency to make things escalate. But he and I understood each other, and we never stayed angry for long. My fights with Emmett were more physical, and were even more brief.

I crept around to Bella's window, and slipped in silently. To my surprise, Bella was already asleep as well. Her room was unusually cool, and she was curled up in a tight ball on the bed. I headed over to her closet and selected a thin blue blanket, gently draping it over her. As she warmed up, the tension in her body slowly relaxed and I finally laid down beside her.

She was obviously having some sort of dream – her brow was furrowed and her lips began moving after a while. I smiled automatically – this was the sign that she was about to start talking in her sleep. I waited, holding my breath. Would she talk about our conversation in the woods tonight?

"Extra cheese," she said suddenly, and I almost laughed out loud. My Bella…

She rolled over, planting her face into my chest and was silent for the next several hours. As I watched her, I tried to make sense of the feelings of unworthiness that Jasper had noticed. No matter how I looked at it, I couldn't understand how she could arrive at that conclusion. What could I do to make her understand that she had it backwards? _I_ was the one who was unworthy of _her_. I loved her more every day, but the last twenty-four hours in particular had caused an extra surge of that love. I shared my family's pride in her adaptability, and although it had resulted in some unpleasantness, it had also resulted in a conversation that made _me_ feel more loved.

Could it be that I had been underestimating her love for me? Like me, she seemed to think that I truly had no idea how deeply she cared. Perhaps I hadn't been giving her human feelings enough credit. If she was truly my mate – and she was, there was no point in denying it now – then perhaps she had been allotted the ability to love more than the average human. It was only fair, after all. And if this was true, maybe I had more reason to hope than I had previously thought. Maybe I really _could_ hold Bella's love for the rest of her life. Maybe I wouldn't have to let her go within four or five years, after all. It was a sobering thought – it would mean no marriage or children for her – but it would always be her choice. I would watch carefully, and have Jasper visit from time to time to verify that she wasn't just staying with me out of duty.

My mind began to spin new ideas as I allowed myself this hope. If she really loved me for the rest of her life… new possibilities arose. I would get to stay and go through everything with her. Maybe we could work it out somehow that I could work alongside her in whatever career she chose – although that would get complicated with my lack of aging. Since she wouldn't be able to have children, she would probably want to work in some sort of field- I quickly tabulated a list of jobs that would work well with our having to move every few years. Of course, I could always stay in hiding at our home, but that would mean less hours together per day, and I would feel utterly useless.

As I raced through the years in my mind, more problems arose. As she grew older, we wouldn't be able to show our romantic feelings in public after a while. I wouldn't be able to help her care for Charlie in his old age. She would undoubtedly feel some regret as she watched her friends became mothers, and later, grandmothers. And I could just imagine the agony that I was going to feel when Bella's organs began to lose function in her sixties, seventies. I would have to keep up with cancer research, stay in contact with the best doctors as they graduated medical school…

I shook my head. As intoxicating as it was to finally allow myself to think this far ahead, I needed to stop planning Bella's life. It was her choice. It _will always be her choice_ , I repeated with my jaws clenched in determination. _Stop deciding everything before she has a chance to dream._

I looked back down at Bella. None of this future would hold any joy for her if she continued feeling unworthy of me. What could I say to help her understand?

Suddenly her brow furrowed again, and her hands became restless, as if she were trying to grab onto something. "You can't!" she blurted out suddenly.

I frowned, waiting for her to speak again. Can't what?

"Your family," she whispered.

Ah. She was reliving my idiotic slip about the suicide plan. If I had ever regretting telling her anything, that was it. The words had jumped out of my mouth before they could be stopped- I just couldn't let her think for another second that this was some kind of seventy-year _fling_. But what damage had I done by telling her?

"Not enough," she whimpered, and started crying.

I couldn't take any more of _that_. I gently shook her shoulder. "Bella. Bella, wake up, you're having a bad dream."

She gasped and sat straight up, looking around blearily until her eyes rested on me.

"Want to talk about it?" I asked carefully.

"Nope."

I frowned at her. "Bella… "

She woke up fully as she heard the disapproval in my voice. "What?"

"Jasper had something interesting to say when we came home last night."

"About the vote thing?"

"No, about you, and your apparent feeling of… of…" I couldn't say it. It was just so _wrong_. I took hold of her shoulders, shaking them gently. "Bella, I thought we understood one another! I mean, for a fairly intuitive person, you can be so obtuse!"

"I'm… sorry?"

I brushed her messy hair away from her face, leaning down until I was sure she was looking at me. "How can I make you understand that I'm the one who isn't worthy of _you_?"

Her blush rose so fast it took me by surprise, and I felt a sharp twinge in my throat. It hadn't happened in a while – not noticeably- and I swallowed the venom. This was exactly what I meant, of course. I wasn't even the right _species_ for her.

She finally found her voice. "I'm not even on the same… you don't… Edward, I'm not even the right _species_ for you!"

I chuckled darkly. "I was just thinking the same thing, but as an argument for _my_ point of view."

"Well, that argument can easily be taken care of."

I closed my eyes. "You're not going to let this go, are you?"

"No. Seriously, how long do you think we would have? With _my_ luck?"

"Bella, I'm not going to let anything happen to you."

"You said it yourself. We're tempting fate here – she has it out for me."

"Can we get back on topic? Your ridiculous feeling of unworthiness."

She sighed. "I thought we were discussing yours?"

We both crossed our arms, smiling as we realized the mirror image we had just created. I shook my head. "Hmm. It appears we may be at another impasse."

"So, it's settled then. I'll feel unworthy of you, and you feel unworthy of me. Okay?" She stuck her hand out, and I tentatively reached up to shake it. Where was Jasper when I needed him? Her smile seemed genuine… if only I could hear her thoughts!

"Okay," I agreed, returning her smile. "Now that we've got that settled, there's the small matter of our anniversary."

"What anniversary?" she asked suspiciously.

"It's been a week since Charlie kicked me out. We're back in the clear now, and I think we should celebrate." The idea had just come to me… it did seem appropriate to celebrate, after all the stress we had gone through in the past week. A plan was forming in my mind, and Bella saw my growing smile.

"This had better not involve anything expensive," she grumbled.

I kissed her quickly on the nose. "No cost involved, I promise. It's going to take some preparation, though- I may need to disappear for a few hours. I'm sure Charlie wouldn't mind."

"True. Although he's not here to _see_ you not be here."

"I'll come by around three. Oh- and dress warmly." I stood up and leaned back down to kiss her briefly.

"I'll miss you," she sighed.

"I'll miss you, too," I answered as I pulled the window open. "And I promise to feel unworthy the whole time."

She opened her mouth to argue, but I was already slamming the window behind me, laughing as I leapt into the sunrise.

.

.

.

I didn't actually need all day to make my plans. I needed to talk to Carlisle privately, and I knew he would be home from the hospital soon. I had a little time first to prepare for my date with Bella, though. As soon as I got home, I leapt up directly through my bedroom window; most of the family were in the living room and I didn't feel like talking to them yet. I showered and changed quickly, flying up into the attic to start my search.

"What are you banging around up here for?" asked Rosalie. She was balancing delicately on the top rung of the ladder, watching me as I moved around various trunks and boxes.

"I'm looking for my guitar," I said as I picked up a steamer trunk, peeked inside it, and tossed it over my shoulder.

"Which one?"

"Regular acoustic."

"It's over there, behind that black trunk."

I followed her gaze, and in a moment I was unlatching my guitar case. To my surprise, there was a hot pink guitar pick jammed between the strings. "Rosalie, have you been playing my guitar?" I asked, amused. I didn't know that she had ever tried it.

"I dabble here and there. Anyway, it's not like you've touched it since the sixties."

"I wasn't mad." Actually, Rosalie was the only member of my family I _wasn't_ angry at right now, and I flashed her my biggest, toothiest grin: her favorite.

I carefully began tuning- I could tell from Rosalie's thoughts that it had been a few years since she had played it. She stayed where she was, watching as I gently coaxed the keys into position. Her thoughts were a tangle of broken sentences, automobile parts and beauty products.

"Edward?"

"Mm."

"I just wanted to apologize." The D string twanged suddenly under my thumb as I startled.

"I'm sorry, what?"

She growled gently. "I'm not repeating it." _I'm sorry for being such a jerk to Bella. She's really a pretty smart girl._

I smiled. "Would this have anything to do with her refusing Carlisle's offer?"

"That… and yesterday. You know. Anyway, I'm going to try to be civil from now on."

"As far as I'm concerned, Rose, you've been the only civil member of this family in the last fourteen hours."

"Oh, you can't blame them. They only did it because they love Bella."

I scowled. "I can blame _one_ of them." Speak of the devil- Carlisle's thoughts were already growing in my mind as he pulled off the highway.

Rosalie looked up a second later- she'd heard the engine. "Oh. Well, good luck with that."

I placed my guitar back in its case and carried it downstairs to the living room to wait for Carlisle. Alice and Jasper were snuggling on the couch, and Rosalie had just joined Emmett in playing a video game. Esme was sitting in the easy chair across the room, looking through a new cookbook. As I set down the guitar case by the door, she looked up at me apprehensively, flinching when she saw the look on my face.

_Now, Edward, I know you're angry…_

Was I angry at Esme? She had started this democracy nonsense, after all. No, I wasn't angry… I was disappointed, though. I had always been Esme's favorite. I had thought her love for me would keep her from disrespecting my wishes like she had. But she loved Bella now, too- she already considered her a daughter. This new love was what had finally driven her to meddle. I couldn't be angry with her for that. It was hard to be angry at Esme for _anything_.

"I'm not angry at you, Esme," I sighed.

She looked confused. "Then-"

The front door opened, and as soon as I saw Carlisle's face, all the anger came rushing back. I felt my fists clench against my sides, and I kept my mouth shut until I was sure I wouldn't say anything rash. I had _never_ been this angry at him before.

"Carlisle," I finally ground out, "I'd like to speak to you… alone."

The living room was suddenly silent. Emmett had paused his video game, and Alice and Jasper's chatter died away.

Carlisle didn't seem surprised at my hostility – in fact, he frowned right back at me. "So would I, Edward," he answered sternly as he turned around and headed right back out the door. "Come on."


	20. My Son

**A/N: This chapter contains direct quotes from New Moon.**

**Carlisle's POV**

"There, Alayna. Now doesn't that feel better?"

My five-year-old patient sniffled and nodded as I helped her hop down from the exam table. I turned toward her mother and gave her a reassuring smile. "She'll be fine. You can take her to the pediatrician in a few days to get the stitches removed."

Mrs. Jamison's heart fluttered when she saw my smile. "Thank you, Dr. Cullen," she said shyly. I patted Alayna on the head and turned back to my chart, writing at human speed until they left the room. I raced through the rest of the documentation and walked out, setting the chart on the nurse's station.

"Acute abdominal pain in room three," one of the nurses mumbled without looking up, and I picked up the appropriate chart, heading back down the hall as I read. Just before I reached the room, my phone buzzed in my pocket. It was a text from Jasper.

_No indications of danger from Charlie tonight. Edward already told Bella about the vote, and she intends to decline as long as he opposes. Picking up new levels of unworthiness from her now. Returning home._

I frowned as I read. I hadn't expected Edward to volunteer any of this to Bella, and I certainly hadn't expected her to refuse my offer. I had been weighing the possibility of making such an offer for several weeks now, and the injuries that Bella had sustained last week had given me a new sense of urgency. I had been planning for the last three days about how I should approach Bella, how I could get her alone. But I couldn't think about it with Edward around, and I was hesitant to interfere. But when Esme had suggested the vote yesterday, it had confirmed my determination: Bella needed to be changed.

Ever since that horrible business with James, I had been plagued by guilt. If I hadn't suggested that Edward remove the venom from Bella's system, he wouldn't have thought of it on his own; I was certain of that. Bella would have begun her transformation, and although we would have had to move, she would be safe now. Edward would be safe now.

I wasn't a fool. I knew exactly what he intended to do when Bella's life ended. I knew because it was the same thing that _I_ would do if I were to lose Esme. And this was why Bella had to be changed- to save my son. I loved Bella for herself, and our family would never be complete again if she were to be parted from us. I wanted her as a daughter. But I was doing this for Edward- not only for his life, but for his happiness.

Bella's love had altered my first son in so many ways. It was as if he had come to life- really come to life for the first time. It wasn't that he hadn't found joy before; he had his music, his studies, our family. But he had always been incomplete until now. Bella had called to parts of his soul that the rest of us had never been able to reach, and the result had been miraculous. He was so much happier, and felt so much more purpose in his life. It was a pleasure, and a relief, to watch him grow and blossom as their love grew and blossomed.

But their love had also brought him immeasurable pain. First, he had been consumed by thirst and fear when he almost took her life in the beginning. His fear had only grown as he realized what was happening in his heart, and as he tried to walk an impossible line between loving her and leaving her alone. When all his dreams came true, and he found that she returned his love, his fear disappeared, only to be replaced by a strange combination of hope and grim acceptance. I knew that his greatest, most impossible hope was that Bella would continue loving him for the rest of her mortal life- he had confided in me regarding this. But every time I asked him how he intended to survive her, he always looked away- far away- and said he would cross that bridge when he came to it.

No, I wasn't a fool. This had to be done.

Jasper had been discreetly keeping me informed regarding Edward's emotional developments in recent months. I think he enjoyed it – it was a chance for him to do a little undercover surveillance, and the challenge of keeping Edward unaware of it was the sort of adventure he thrived on. He usually texted me while I was at work, like he had tonight.

 _How is Edward doing now?_ I typed in response.

_He's mad at you, feels betrayed. Same tragic love, guilt, etc. aiming toward Bella. Nothing new THERE._

I snapped the phone shut as I entered the exam room, smiling at the woman writing in pain on the bed. The smell of bacteria was heavy in the air, and I immediately suspected Stage III diverticulitis. I would have to deal with my son later.

.

.

.

When my shift was over, I drove home more slowly than usual, giving myself time to think. I could see where Edward's sense of betrayal was coming from, of course. I had been careful to avoid thinking about my plan around him, and I had been equally careful not to place my vote yesterday while Edward was still in range- I had known it would anger him, and I didn't want to upset Bella.

She was upset _now_ , of course. How had Edward managed to make her feel even worse about herself? And how had he managed to extract her promise that she would refuse my offer? I shouldn't have waited this long. If I had gotten to her first, I might have had more success. But Edward had a steel grip on her heart – just as she had on his- and he had somehow manipulated her into feeling unworthy of immortality, or of him, or whatever it was. I hoped that it hadn't been intentional, but I was still angry at him for hurting her.

Yes, I was angry. I was angry at myself for not letting Bella begin her transformation when it should have happened. But at the moment, I was mostly angry with my son. Why did he have to keep hurting her like this? I loved Bella as my own child, and Edward's stubborn determination for this to end tragically was trying my patience.

I took a deep breath and quieted the monstrous rage threatening to rise in my throat. I would be patient with him- I must always be patient with him. I would have to be patient _forever_. Although Bella had changed Edward's heart, he was, at his core, still the same seventeen-year-old I had found back in 1918. It wasn't that Edward hadn't grown in the decades since then, but that growth had been painstakingly slow. Most of his development had been due to the additions to our family – each person had taught him something new, and it had been a pleasure seeing my children bring out the best in each other. But despite that slow growth, and despite the changes that Bella had wrought in his heart, Edward was still seventeen. He was still impulsive. He was still arrogant. And he still had a maddening tendency to organize the world around him into absolutes.

Edward would always be trapped in late adolescence in terms of his emotional development, as well. He had been a sensitive, responsible young man when I had frozen him at seventeen, and the change had only intensified these features. His new level of sensitivity had given him an enormous emotional spectrum, and his sense of responsibility had morphed into a crushing obsession with duty and atonement. And his ability to read minds only made the these traits more burdensome. He had fallen into the cycle of introspection and depression more than once, and it was always a balancing act when I had to step in and snap him out of it. He _was_ seventeen, after all – a man, in many ways. And I was only twenty-three.

Our bond had never been easy to define. I was his creator, and he was bound to me by venom. I would never have forced him to remain with me, but he had returned my love almost immediately, and had been happy to stay. We fell naturally into a father/son relationship, and, except for his rebellious period so many years ago, he had always understood his need for my occasional guidance. Edward's talent made him one of the most powerful vampires in the world; my ability to manage him, and to keep his loyalty, was undoubtedly the greatest achievement of my life.

But _parenting_ him- that had been an entirely different challenge. The usual goal of parenting a seventeen-year-old is to prepare him for adult life, to gradually release him into independence. But Edward was poised forever on the edge of manhood, and he would never be able to achieve true emotional or social maturity. It wasn't that he wasn't able to leave our family, to be independent if he wanted to. But he had tried that once, and it had been disastrous. Besides, he loved every member of our family deeply, and no longer had any desire to be parted from any of us.

It was rare that situations like this came up, where Edward and I truly clashed, or where I felt that I needed to intervene or exert my authority. When they did come up, I always felt inadequate for the task, and he was well aware of that fact. Yet he had always chosen to submit to my leadership- so far.

I didn't relish the thought of meddling in his relationship with Bella, but this was getting out of hand. If I had wavered before about making my offer, I wasn't wavering now. The burns that Bella had received, and the ensuing danger that it had placed my family in, had opened my eyes. Emmett liked to joke about how Bella was a magnet for trouble, but he was absolutely correct. Bella had a frightening tendency toward injury and dangerous situations. We had only known her for less than six months, and in that time, she had been almost killed by Edward himself, almost killed in a car accident, trapped by a vicious gang in Port Angeles, severely injured- and bitten!- by a murderous vampire, and, just last week, the trouble with the burns. And now we learned that she was living right in the middle of a deadly feud between us and our mortal enemies! It was almost laughable to presume that she could have a long, healthy life ahead of her; Edward's plan of keeping her alive for the next seventy years simply wasn't going to work. Something was bound to happen eventually – something that he couldn't save her from.

I pulled over to the side of the road, stopping just before the gas station on the right. The gas station was just over three miles away from our home, and the edge of Edward's range- when he was listening for me. I didn't even know if he was home now, but if he was, he was probably still upset and waiting to talk to me. What was I going to say to him? That he was being a fool? That I loved him, and I wanted him to be happy? That I was his creator, and that I make the rules?

But how much did my opinion even matter? I knew I could never bring myself to change Bella against her will. But if she was truly determined to wait for Edward to change her, she was going to be waiting for a long time. Would she change her mind? Perhaps if I explained my offer without Edward present…

I felt the anger begin to rise again. This was ridiculous! Why should I need to go behind my son's back to convince his mate to save his life? Maybe if I put it _that_ way to her, I'd get some results. Yes, that might have to be a last resort. It would be cruel, and it would break Edward's trust in me even further, but if it saved his life, it would be worth it. Of course, he would never forgive me, and he and Bella would leave us.

I slammed my hand into the steering wheel, denting the plastic. I sighed and carefully began to bend it back into shape, quieting the monster as I worked. If Edward was angry- truly furious, as he could be sometimes- then it was even more important that I stay calm.

I really had no way of knowing what was waiting for me at home. And I couldn't text Jasper to ask, because I couldn't risk Edward being there to overhear Jasper's thoughts; it would only make this worse.

I decided it would be best to approach Edward this time from a position of authority. I didn't want him to mistake my resolve in this matter, and if I approached him too passively, he would turn it into a debate. Yes, that was best. But I would wait to see what mood he was in. Depending on that, I would decide whether to speak to him with firmness or gentleness. If he was on one of his guilt trips, I would need to handle things a bit more delicately.

I started the car again and pulled back out onto the road. As I passed the gas station, I began focusing on the cases I had seen in the hospital today, along with my first-ever attempt to _translate A Tale of Two Cities_ into Chinese.

.

.

.

The house seemed quiet when I drove up. I heard a video game running, and chatter coming from both the living room and the attic. I smiled to myself- at least the front door was still intact. _This_ week.

As I walked up to the porch, I heard Edward's voice coming from the living room. "I'm not angry at you, Esme," he said, and he sounded calm.

Perhaps I had been too hasty. Perhaps Edward was ready to discuss this rationally. But as I opened the front door, I found myself ten inches from Edward's face, and he was _furious_. He had saved it for me, then.

His fists were clenched at his sides, and his face was trembling as he tried to control the accusations that were no doubt on the tip of his tongue. I frowned back at him in challenge, and opened my mouth to speak, to demand he come outside to speak with me.

He beat me to it, though. "Carlisle," he finally ground out through his teeth, "I'd like to speak to you… alone."

The room grew suddenly silent, and over Edward's shoulder, I saw everyone staring at me. Jasper scowled at his brother's back in frustration. He didn't appear to be doing anything to help, though. No doubt he had had enough of Edward's theatrics for one day.

"So would I, Edward," I answered sternly, and confusion flew across his features for the briefest second. He hadn't expected me to be angry, as well. Good. "Come on," I ordered, and I turned, walked back out the door and broke into a run, resuming my mental translation project.

I didn't wait to see if he was following. I ran at my top speed for two miles, stopping just before he caught me. I climbed up into the top branches of a giant fir. Forcing him to follow me, and to come up to meet me, would annoy him. But these little demonstrations of my authority usually helped to calm him down. I hoped they would work today; I didn't think I had ever seen him this angry at _me_ before.

As soon as I settled on the tree branch, Edward appeared on the ground below, scowling up at me. But my plan had worked, and by the time he sat on the branch opposite me, he was still angry but no longer trembling. I let him collect his thoughts for a moment before I spoke.

"I see Jasper has informed you of my vote, and of the offer I intend to make."

He pressed his lips into a thin line, shaking his head as he looked away from me. "How could you, Carlisle?" he finally murmured. "This was a private matter between Bella and me. How could you support this absurd business about voting on her _mortality_?"

"Listen to me, Edward," I said firmly. "This ceased to be a private matter the day you brought Bella home to meet us. She is a member of this family, human or not. I love her- we all do."

"I'm not questioning your love for Bella," he growled. "Though I'm beginning to question your love for _me_. How could you vote against your own son?"

This was too much, even for him. I had to put him on the defensive. "I didn't vote _against_ you, I voted _for_ her. The fact that you are opposing her is your own affair. The real mystery to me is that you even put us in the position where we had to overrule you! I don't understand it!"

"Don't understand?" he asked incredulously. "You of _all_ people should understand! You _know_ how I feel about Bella being turned, how I feel about destroying her soul-"

I sighed in exasperation. Not _this_ again. Edward was the only vampire I had ever met who believed – or even cared- that our kind was incapable of keeping our souls intact. We had been through this debate a thousand times, and I still couldn't understand his logic. "Regardless of that particular belief, Edward," I said, "the bottom line is that Bella _wants_ to be with you forever, and you're refusing her. Why, it's practically a death sentence! I didn't know that you were capable of such cruelty!"

He sucked in a breath, clenching his teeth. "I'm going to pretend you didn't just say that," he murmured dangerously.

"You don't seem to realize what a gift Bella is trying to give you," I said softly. "I have created four vampires, Edward, and none of you had a choice. She _wants_ this."

"You're proving my point, you know. Just look at Rosalie!"

I ground my teeth, struggling against my own anger now. Edward knew how much I regretted changing Rosalie, and he was trying to twist my argument against me. "Again, I'm trying to demonstrate the difference in those two situations," I said patiently. "Bella knows what she is getting into."

"She _thinks_ she does," he corrected.

I looked at him thoughtfully. "Ah… I think I understand now. This isn't just about Bella's soul, is it?"

"I don't know what you're talking about."

"Yes, you do. You're afraid that Bella will regret it later, that she'll resent you for taking her life away… aren't you?"

He just looked away angrily- I had my answer.

"That's ridiculous, Edward. Have you so little regard for the strength of her love?"

"None of this matters, you know," he muttered. "She won't do it."

"I disagree, son. She'll change her mind."

"No, she won't." He looked just a bit uncertain, and I jumped on it.

"She will when she realizes what's at stake," I said slowly.

His eyes snapped back to mine. "What are you talking about?"

"Edward," I said coldly, "I'm not an idiot. I know that you have no intention of surviving your mate."

His eyes darkened and he began trembling again. "You wouldn't," he whispered.

"I'd rather you not put me in that situation," I said carefully. "But you've chosen not to live without her, and that doesn't leave me a choice." _Don't misunderstand me, Edward. I don't want to interfere at all. But this path that you're bent on… it's not going to happen. I won't allow it._

He just stared at me for a moment. Then he lashed out, slamming his fist through the trunk of the tree, a few inches from my face. I watched the treetop as it tumbled slowly through the fingers of the neighboring trees, settling quietly on the forest floor.

He knotted both of his hands in his hair, leaning his face into his wrists as he struggled to compose himself. "She knows about that, as well," he mumbled.

"You _told_ her?"

"It was last night," he sighed, letting go of his hair. "She was wondering why I wouldn't change her, how I could so easily let her die and move on after her death. I didn't mean to tell her… it just slipped out. I just couldn't let her think for another second that she meant so little to me."

"And she still didn't change her mind?"

"That was when we got to the soul bit."

I turned away and leaned back into the trunk that Edward had pulverized. I was surprised – and impressed- that Edward had been so honest with Bella. He had given her a lot to think about, though he hadn't intended to. It might be best to give her some time to sort through everything. I would wait until the end of the summer before speaking with her about it.

Edward sighed in relief when he heard my thought. I turned back toward him and waited until he was looking into my eyes. "Edward, she will be eighteen by then. She will legally be in a position to disappear if she wants to. We could set things up so she could survive- it would be just as if she left home."

He stiffened. "Jasper said you would wait until graduation."

"Not to make the offer. And that was before I knew how much you had told her. Edward, I know this is difficult for you, but you must understand. Your plan to keep her human simply isn't viable. The risk to her aside, just look at the danger our family has been placed in this week. This isn't about just _you_."

"Yes, I regret that any of you had to be involved," he said quietly.

"We don't regret it, son. All of us – Rosalie included- are gratified to see you so happy. You had been alone for far too long. _You, of all people, deserve happiness. Can't you see we are only trying to help you?_

"Yes, I see that," he admitted in a far-off voice.

"Edward, when I changed Esme… well, you were there. There was no time to think. I was losing her so quickly, and all I could see was the impossibility of living without her. It wasn't even a choice- do you remember?"

He nodded.

"Now, did I or didn't I destroy her soul that day? What do you think?"

He looked up at me warily. This was the point in the debate he always shied away from- when I challenged him to accuse me of the very thing he was refusing to do. Even in the rare times that we were angry at one another, Edward found himself unable to speak against me, especially on this matter. He was just too _good_.

He smiled sadly. "No, that's you," he said slowly. "I think on the day you changed Esme, you were so blinded by love and urgency that you didn't give it a thought."

"So, what you're saying is that I didn't steal her soul?"

"Not intentionally…."

"And yours?"

He frowned. "I thought we were talking about Bella."

"We are. The problem here is that you've had too much time to think about it. If you found her dying somewhere- let's say it was tomorrow- what would you do?"

"That's not going to happen," he said quickly.

I crossed my arms. "Let's say it _did_ happen. Can you honestly tell me that you would sit there and watch her die? As she begged you, with her dying breath, to save her? Could you really stop yourself from keeping her, just on the off chance that you were _possibly_ right about her soul?"

He shifted uncomfortably. "I don't know."

"That's all I'm asking, son. I'm asking you to consider that you might be _wrong_ , and that Bella may not have as much time as you think."

His eyes narrowed suspiciously. "What's that supposed to mean?"

I sighed, finally placing my hand on his shoulder. "I'm not threatening you, Edward. I'm just asking you to accept the fact that you can't protect her from everything. None of us are going to change Bella against her will. But once she is eighteen, I am going to make the offer, and I am going to make sure she understands everything involved. And if you still aren't able to support me, I'm going to ask that you not be present when I speak to her." _I don't want it to be this way. I don't want to interfere- I want this to be your decision. But if you can't make that decision by the end of the summer, then I'm going to have to make it for you._

He was silent for several minutes after that. I desperately wished to borrow his gift, just so I could see what he was analyzing _now_.

"Right and wrong, actually," he mused.

"You don't have the monopoly on morality, son."

"I know."

He suddenly dropped down to the ground, and began walking slowly back to the house. I dropped down as well, walking several paces behind him. I watched him as he walked, the rising sun glistened off the back of his arms as he held them stiffly at his side- he was still thinking.

I would do anything to take his burden away. Edward was my first child, but the last to find love. I just wanted him to be able to gracefully accept the gift that Bella was aching to give him- and then they could be truly happy forever, like Esme and I were. I wanted that for him.

Edward hadn't been able to choose the immortality that I had given to him, and I knew that at times he was truly sorry that I had done it- though he could never bring himself to accuse me. But _I_ had never been sorry. I wasn't sorry because Edward was wrong about our souls. I had always known he was wrong. I only had to look at the strength, goodness in him, the light that shone out of him to know that he was wrong. One such as Edward couldn't exist _without_ a soul. And now, now that love had burst open his cold heart, I was even more sure. He wouldn't be capable of the mind-shattering love that he felt for Bella, if he were truly an empty shell. He wouldn't be capable of all these doubts, and he wouldn't be so obsessed with doing the right thing. He wouldn't be so concerned for Bella's soul if he didn't have one himself.

If nothing else, I was glad I had brought him to this decade, to this town- so that he could love her. Even with all the complications that his love had brought- it was still worth everything.

He slowed to a stop and turned his head back halfway, nodding slightly. Then he began walking again, swinging his arms freely in the glow of the sun.


	21. Confrontations

**BPOV**

After Edward left, I stayed in bed for a while, staring at the ceiling as the room slowly brightened. A lot had happened yesterday, and as my mind churned to life, the memories came flooding back. The dinner with the Cullens, the Phone, Edward's anger at his family, and the talk we had had in the woods last night. I sighed at the ceiling, remembering Edward's arguments against my immortality. In the light of day, they all seemed so ridiculous.

But at least I had allies, now. It sounded like Carlisle would be willing to change me whenever I asked him. Oddly, now that it seemed within reach, I suddenly felt nervous. Did Carlisle expect me to come over and do it today? Surely not. No doubt Edward had eagerly informed him that I wouldn't accept the offer without his approval.

But would I? My refusal had been a gut reaction- of course I wouldn't agree to be changed if Edward didn't want it. But after all he had told me last night, it seemed he _did_ want it, but that he felt he shouldn't. That it wasn't _allowed_. But now that I knew about his plan, to die when I died…

I tried to understand. I tried to comprehend that impossibility that _he_ could die, and how I would react to that. I tried to imagine how it would have been if Edward's family hadn't caught up to him in time, back in the ballet studio. If James had-

A crushing pain threatened to tear my heart in half, and I gasped, clutching my chest. I _did_ understand, apparently. I took a deep, ragged breath, and the pain disappeared.

I glanced over to the window. It was seven o'clock now, but the light was grey; Forks had shaken off the heat wave. Then I remembered the mysterious date with Edward this afternoon, and I jumped out of bed, getting a head rush and stumbling across the room to my dresser. Dress warmly, he had said. I fished out an old beat-up pair of jeans and a blue sweater. As I tossed them onto my bed, there was a knock at the door.

"Morning, Bells! You up yet?"

"Yeah, I'm getting dressed. Have a good day at work!"

I had been trying to avoid letting Charlie see me in the daylight the past couple of days. I hardly needed the makeup anymore, but the burns were peeling now and that was more difficult to hide.

"You trying to get rid of me?" His voice was an odd mix of joking and suspicion.

"Of course not," I lied. "Um, dad, would you mind handling dinner on your own again tonight? I promise I'll make something good tomorrow."

"Why? You hanging out with the Cullens all day again?"

"I didn't hang out with them all day yesterday! And not today, either. I'll probably just head out around dinnertime, okay?"

"Hmph." I heard him walking away, and sighed in frustration. I wondered if this is how Juliet had felt.

.

.

.

After I ate breakfast and cleaned up the kitchen, I decided to tackle the laundry that had been piling up. I was folding the first load when the phone rang, and I put the phone on my shoulder so I could continue folding.

"Hello?"

"Hey, Bella!"

I felt my throat tighten with anxiety; this was the first time I had spoken with Jacob since Edward had told me the truth about him. Was it really possible that he didn't know what was happening to him? I took a deep breath and tried to sound relaxed.

"Jake! What's up?"

"Oh, just puttering around. You?"

"I'm catching up with some housework today, and then I have a date with Edward tonight."

"Oh. Well, anyway, I was calling to see if you wanted to do the beach thing on Saturday or Sunday. It's supposed to rain Friday, but by Saturday morning-"

"Um, about the beach thing…"

I frowned, hesitating. I still thought it was silly to get myself involved in the feud, and Edward really had no right to tell me where I could and couldn't go. And he _definitely_ had no right to tell me who I couldn't hang out with. But this week had been hard for him, and I didn't want to make him worry.

"What?" Jake asked.

"Well… I just don't think it's going to work out, for this weekend, anyway."

"Why? Are you sick or something? That's like four days away."

"No, it's just… I don't think it's going to work out." My boyfriend, who's a vampire, doesn't want me associating with you or your tribal lands, because you're going to turn into a werewolf any second. Yeah.

"Okay… well maybe next weekend. Anyway, you and I could just hang out instead. Maybe we could catch a movie or something." He was talking faster now, and he sounded nervous. "I mean, if that's all right. It's cool if you'd rather get some other people, too. I just thought…"

"Um, no, I don't think that would work out either," I said lamely. I didn't have an excuse ready, and it was too early in the morning to think creatively.

"Hey, that's fine, I get it," Jacob said coldly. "It's not like I was asking you on a date or anything. Far be it from me to tread on a _vampire's_ territory."

My breath caught in my throat. Did he mean it this time, or were we still joking?

Jacob was talking faster, louder. "My dad told me this would happen, you know. He said you would cancel. I thought he was just spewing more of his anti-Cullen garbage, but he's right about one thing. That boyfriend of yours is seriously bad news. He told you that you couldn't go this weekend, didn't he?"

"Jake, chill out! You know they're not really… you know, vampires. Get a grip."

He laughed bitterly. "Well, duh! But you don't have to be undead to be a control freak. Am I right? Are you cancelling because he told you to?"

"Calm down, Jacob!"

"He _did_ tell you to cancel, didn't he! This is unbelievable," His voice was growing even louder. "We finally get to start hanging out again, and he has to get in the way. You couldn't even come to my house the other day without having to check in with him! Bella, why are you _with_ this guy?"

I had never heard him so angry before—it was like he was a different person. What if this was it? What if he was about to do the werewolf thing? "Jake, please calm down," I said quietly. "You don't need to get upset. Anyway, I've got to go. Maybe you should lie down or something…"

"No, Bella, _I've_ got to go." There was a banging sound, and the line went dead.

I sat frozen on the couch, Charlie's shirt still half-folded in my hands. Was Jacob all right? Should I call him back? I dialed his number, but I shut the phone off just before it could ring. I had gotten off with him in the first place because he was getting too upset. If I called him back now, it might make it worse.

I continued with the laundry, and I was just shoving a stack of towels into the hall closet when I heard a pounding on the door. I went downstairs and peeked through the living room window, seeing a beat-up black Ford out on the curb: Billy Black's car. I swung open the door, and jumped back when Jacob stormed in past me.

"Where is he?" he snarled, looking around.

I put my hands on my hips. "You almost gave me a heart attack! Where's who?"

"Cullen. He was obviously there while you were talking to me. Where is he?"

I balled my hand into fists and stood up as tall as I could- not nearly tall enough to feel intimidating. "He's not here, and he wasn't here before, either. What's the matter with you?"

Jacob let out a huge breath and looked down at me, embarrassment falling over his face. "Um… he's really not here?"

"No! What are _you_ doing here?"

"I…" He looked around, seemingly confused as to how he had gotten here. "Oh boy. Okay, I guess I got a little bent out of shape. It's just, when you… I thought… aw man, Bella, I'm sorry. I'm an idiot."

I snorted. "I'm not disputing that. Don't you have something better to do than crash people's laundry days?"

He took a step away from me, looking more sheepish every second. He seemed to be shrinking back into himself, as if his anger had made him taller for a moment. "Yeah… maybe I'll just go back home now. I guess I thought I was… protecting you or something."

"That's very sweet, but I don't need protecting, especially not from a pile of clothes. Are you sure you're all right?" He looked a little sick, now that he was calming down.

"Yeah, I'm good. For a moment there, it was like…"

"It was like what?"

He didn't answer right away. He was staring down at something. "Bella," he said slowly, "what happened to your arm?"

I glanced down to where his gaze was fixed, and I could feel the blush spreading over my face. I hadn't bothered to cover up either of the burns today, since Charlie had already gone to work. Unfortunately, Jacob looked back up and saw my reddening face. He grabbed my arm, turning it in the light coming from the window. The redness was almost completely gone, now, but the peeling skin still had the pattern of Edward's hand. Jacob slowly raised his hand up and laid it on my arms, covering the five lines with his own five fingers. His other hand tightened on my arm, and he looked up into my eyes, then down at my neck. I snatched my free hand up to cover the injury that he had seen. It occurred to me too late that trying to cover it up was the worst possible reaction.

"He really _has_ been hurting you, hasn't he?" he asked quietly, his voice low and dangerous. His grip tightened even further on my burned arm, making me wince. He scrunched his eyes shut, shaking his head. "Bella…"

"Jake… Jake, you're hurting my arm. I can explain-"

He let go in disgust, backing away from me. "Explain what? The fact that your boyfriend is a sadistic freak, or that you somehow feel the need to defend him? What else has he done to you?" He backed up another step, and as his face screwed up in anger again, his fisted hands began to shake.

"Jake, listen. Please, sit down and listen to me for a minute."

"No. I've got to… I've got to go do something. I've got to go." His voice was deepening into that of a stranger. He held his hand to his forehead, and his eyes suddenly blazed with determination. "Stay here, Bella, I'll be back in a little while." He spun around and headed out the door.

I followed him in a panic. "No! You can't tell Charlie about this! Come back inside and I'll explain everything! Just come back in here! _Jacob_!" I was ready to tell him everything – I knew it wasn't allowed, but I just couldn't let him ruin everything, I just couldn't.

He smirked back at me over his shoulder as he yanked the door of the car open. "Don't worry, I'm not going to see Charlie."

I ran down the sidewalk to stop him, but he peeled out, racing down the street like a maniac.

.

.

.

**EPOV**

By the time I had finished talking with Carlisle, I had calmed down. I still couldn't understand how my family had deluded themselves into thinking they could vote on Bella's mortality. But I understood now _why_ they were doing it. I had to admit their love for me, and I could see how the events of the past week had given everyone a sense of urgency.

Carlisle had made his position painfully clear. I had the rest of the summer to sort out my opinions regarding Bella's future, and then he was going to step in. I knew he didn't want to, but I also knew that once Carlisle decided something, his course was set. He _never_ went back on his word. I had less than two months, then. Less than two months to convince myself that it was either acceptable to take Bella's life away- I shuddered at the thought- or whether it was intolerable. If I came to the second conclusion- and I probably would- then I had a problem, a _big_ problem. Could I trust her to keep her word that she wouldn't accept Carlisle's offer? Or would she change her mind, as he suspected? Would I really have to take her away from my family in order to protect her from them, from herself? How would I be able to hide her from _Alice_?

I trudged back into the house, my mind spinning with impossibilities. Even with these new fears, I was still calmer than I had been when I left to speak to Carlisle earlier. He was right about one thing, at least. Despite all the challenges, and all the uncertainties- even this present one- Bella's love was still worth it. I couldn't even _remember_ anymore what it was like to exist without her.

My mother and siblings were still in the living room, unmoved from when I had seen them last. I looked around at all of them, trying to feel angry again; it was hopeless. I couldn't stay angry. Even though they were trying to destroy the one thing that I held sacred, they were doing it because they loved me. And even Rosalie – although she had been on my side, that had been out of love, too. Her own selfish version of love, anyway. She didn't actually care about Bella's fate, as much as she cared about her family, and our safety, our anonymity.

Jasper looked up at me from the couch. _Nice to see you've got your head back on straight… for now._

I gave him a withering smile and picked up my guitar case, carrying it over to the computer desk in the corner of the living room. My plan for this afternoon was to take Bella up to Shipwreck Point, a tiny beach on the north edge of the state, directly across from Vancouver Island. I really did feel badly about Bella's beach trip that she had been planning with Jacob. I didn't approve of her choice of company, but I knew she had been looking forward to the trip, for the few minutes that she thought she was going. So to make it up to her, I would take her to a beach on neutral territory.

I knew she had enjoyed it last week when I had played the classical guitar for her, and I was eager to play a different instrument for her now. I took the guitar out of its case and balanced it on my lap while I began searching on the internet for some music to play. I really had never done much with this particular guitar. I had always preferred the classical style, but this was the perfect opportunity to expand my repertoire.

I spent the rest of the morning learning to play various songs by the Beach Boys, Jan and Dean, Dick Dale and any other surf music I could find online. Emmett starting singing along with me after the second song, and even Esme was humming along, tapping her foot as she worked on sewing a new curtain for the kitchen door. Carlisle was upstairs in his study, but I could hear him humming along, as well.

I was so involved in the music that I was startled to hear a car door slam outside. I stood up quickly, frowning when I heard the thoughts of Jacob Black. Of all the nerve! Maybe it would be better if his father would tell him the truth, so he could stop breaking the treaty every time he turned around.

"It's Jacob Black. I'll get it," I grumbled as I strode through the living room. Alice was perched on the edge of the couch, rubbing her temples.

_This is extremely annoying, Edward. Would you please get rid of him? I can barely see him, and it's giving me a headache._

Jasper had his arms protectively around Alice and he was glaring up at me. _Just say the word, Edward, and I've got your back. We can take him down. He's alone, right?_

"No one's going to take down anyone," I said firmly, glancing back at Emmett. He sank back down into his chair, sighing in disappointment.

I opened the door and frowned as Jacob stormed up the steps of the porch. "I'm fairly certain you're not supposed to be here," I warned, crossing my arms and leaning against the door frame.

He looked past me, seeing the rest of my family in the living room. _Okay, maybe this was a stupid idea. Why did I come here by myself? I should have called Embry._

"I won't be long," he growled, showing more courage than he felt. "I'm just here to tell you to stay away from Bella. I see no problem with going to straight to Charlie, but I don't want her to be any more upset than she already is. So if you'll just back off, I won't say anything."

"That's very thoughtful," I said stiffly, "but I think you should mind your own business."

"Bella is my friend!" he shouted. "And I know you've been hurting her. If you can't take a hint and get out of her life, I'll gladly help you out of it!" He took a step toward me; our faces were only inches apart now. His fists were out, slowly rising in front of his stomach, and they were beginning to tremble. Not a good sign…

"Listen, Jacob," I said as patiently as I could. "I'm not hurting anybody. I love Bella more than life itself, and I would never be able to hurt her. Now just go back on home, and we'll forget this ever happened, all right?"

"Love her?" he spat. "You don't know the first thing about loving her! All you know how to do is control her!" His shoulders were trembling now. His scent was growing more potent, and it was awakening the old hatred in my mind. I stepped just an inch closer to him, and I could feel my eyes darkening as I held back the rage.

"Jacob, I strongly suggest that you get off our land before I do something I'm going to regret," I hissed. Behind me, I could hear my brothers standing up, getting ready to jump in if Jacob attacked. Carlisle was on his way down the stairs now.

Jacob's eyes widened in hatred, and sweat began pouring down his face. "You _bastard!"_ he roared, and he took another step closer, his scent filling my nostrils. "Why don't you step out here and threaten me again?!"

I grabbed the door frame to hold myself back—my muscles were aching to attack now. The frame began to crack under my grip, and my lips were pulling back to expose my teeth. Jacob was shaking all over, and the anger in his eyes suddenly turned to fear. The muscles in his back were convulsing, and he looked down at his hands, which were shaking uncontrollably now. He looked back up at me in horror, and his facial features began to blur. _What… what's happening to me?_

I threw myself backwards, as far away as I could get in a single bound. "Jasper!" I shouted as I threw myself in front of Esme. "He's going to lose it! Calm him down, _now_!"


	22. Treaty

**A/N: I just want to say thank you to everyone who has been favoriting/following/ and especially reviewing this story. Your support means so much to me. So as a little thank you, this chapter is again breaking the record for the longest I have ever written. Enjoy!**

**EPOV**

Jasper launched himself across the room, landing in the doorway just in front of Jacob. He closed his eyes and threw all his energy into sending peace into the space in front of him. It wasn't enough, though, and in one last effort, he reached out and laid his hands directly on Jacob's shoulders, trying again. Jacob didn't even notice Jasper's touch; he stared back him with unseeing eyes, shivering as he tried in vain to hold himself together.

"Jazz, no!" Alice shrieked. She tried to run forward, but Rosalie grabbed one of her arms. _I can't see! I can't see anything! Edward, get him back!_

I hesitated briefly, hoping against hope that Jasper would still be able to stop the transformation. For one horrible moment, he and Jacob were a mirror image of each other, locked in an emotional tug-of-war. Jasper began trembling too, as he struggled to absorb wave after wave of Jacob's supernatural rage. Emmett and I slowly crept toward the two of them, positioning ourselves on either side of the doorway, ready to pull Jasper back if the worst should happen. Carlisle had taken my position in front of Esme. We all held our breath, waiting.

Finally, Jasper let out a gasp and released Jacob, who groaned and collapsed to his knees, coughing. When he stood back up, his eyes were wide and his rational thought began to return as he stared at Jasper. _That dude flew like twenty feet over here! And what was he doing to me? What just happened? I think I'm gonna be sick…_

He turned away from the house, leaning over the porch railing to vomit.

"Lovely," growled Rosalie.

Esme flew into the kitchen, returning with a dishtowel. Carlisle took it from her and walked out the front door to help Jacob. "Thank you, Jasper. Well done, very well done," he whispered as he walked past his son. But as he looked into Jasper's eyes, he froze.

There was a new danger now. Jasper was staring out the front door at Jacob, his eyes black with rage. He had never taken this much anger from anyone before, and it had combined with his own instinctual hatred. He was tensing to spring at Jacob, this time in attack mode.

"Emmett, please take Jasper out immediately," Carlisle ordered, and he quickly stepped out the door, closing it behind him.

"It's okay, bro. It's over, calm down," Emmett said as he hauled our brother out of the room. Alice followed them and Rosalie walked over to stand beside Esme and I.

"Is Jacob all right?" Esme asked.

"He's fine, for now," I sighed. "His body wasn't ready for the transformation. I don't think he could get angry now if he wanted to."

"Then what was he doing _here_?" Rosalie asked angrily. "Doesn't he understand how this treaty thing works?"

"He doesn't know anything. He doesn't even know that the werewolves are real," I reminded her.

"Well, that's just terrific. And now he's seen Jasper in action, too. This has been the week from hell!" She stalked out of the room, going to check on Jasper and Emmett.

I opened the front door, to find Jacob sitting down on the porch, covered in sweat and wiping his face with the towel. Carlisle looked up at me from where he knelt. _I'm going to call Billy. Jacob should be fine for now. He's exhausted. But try to keep him calm, anyway. Don't antagonize him._ He stood and walked past me back into the house.

I stepped out onto the porch and sat down across from Jacob, who was eyeing me fearfully. "Esme, would you bring Jacob something cold to drink?" She nodded and disappeared.

"Are you all right?" I asked.

"What _are_ you people?" he asked shakily. "What did you do to me?"

"We didn't do anything," I answered carefully. I wasn't sure how much I was permitted to say. Carlisle hadn't had more than a few seconds out here with him, and I knew he hadn't told him anything.

"The blonde guy did. He did something to me. I felt it!"

"Jasper _helped_ you. If he hadn't intervened, things would have been much worse. It was your own nature that was causing you to lose control."

Jacob laid his hand on his forehead, wincing. "I don't feel right."

"I know. You'll feel better in a bit, though."

Carlisle stepped back out onto the porch. "Jacob, your father is coming to get you. I told him that you aren't feeling well. I just want you to stay still and relax until then, all right?"

"How's he coming to get me? I took his car."

"He's having a friend drive him." _Edward, Billy is very upset about this. He asked if he could bring Sam Uley with him. I agreed._

"The Alpha," I whispered in disgust.

"What Alpha?" Jacob asked, and I frowned. I didn't think he'd be able to hear that.

Carlisle frowned, as well. _His hearing is already above the human level. Even if he doesn't phase today, it may not be far off._

"What Alpha?" Jacob asked again, frantically. "Like a wolf?"

"Jacob, please, calm down and we'll explain everything when your father gets here," Carlisle said quietly.

"No! Everyone is telling me to calm down today, and it's starting to freak me out! How did the blonde guy run so fast? Why do I feel sick all of a sudden? Why am I so hot?"

"You're turning into a werewolf," I blurted out.

Carlisle turned to me in shock. "Edward!"

"What's the point of waiting? Billy will explain it soon, and if we don't start giving him some answers, he's going to lose control again. Look at his hands."

Jacob was staring at me in horror, and his hands were trembling slightly. He started hyperventilating, and Carlisle instructed him to take long, slow breaths. He clenched his hands and the trembling ceased.

"Werewolves aren't real," Jacob whispered, staring at his hands in confusion. "It just a legend." _This isn't real. This can't happen._

"I'm sorry, Jacob, but the legends are true," Carlisle said gently. "The werewolf gene runs in your family, and it looks like your body is preparing to make the transition."

"But if _that_ legend is true, then…" Suddenly his eyes popped open even wider, and he scrambled away from us, backing up against the porch railing.

"Yes, that part is true as well. We are vampires," Carlisle sighed. "But it's also true that we do not harm humans. We're not going to hurt you."

Jacob turned to me. "Bella," he murmured, picturing me with fangs. _She has no idea! I've got to warn her…_

"Bella knows," I said simply. "She knows everything."

Jacob's mind was spinning. _She knows, and she's still with him? He's going to kill her! He's already hurt her at least once. I wonder if he was trying to eat her or something._

I bit my tongue, resisting the urge to answer his mental accusation. It wasn't necessary to tell Jacob Black _all_ of our secrets.

"Listen, Jacob. Now that you know what we are, I'm going to explain about Bella's injuries, all right?"

He nodded quickly.

"Our skin is very different from human skin. It's a lot like stone, or marble; it can grow hot or cold, depending on the environment, and it reflects the light. Bella and I were spending some time outside the other day, and it was very sunny. She fell asleep next to me for several hours, and my skin heated up and gave her a burn, much like a sunburn. It was unintentional, and she's going to be fine."

As if in answer to Jacob's doubt, the clouds parted briefly, and my skin glittered in response. Carlisle drew in a sharp breath, but he didn't move to hide his own skin. What would be the point?

Jacob just stared at me. _He really ISN'T human. That's disgusting! How can Bella even stand to look at him?_

I looked down at my glistening fingers in disgust. How, indeed?

"Listen, Jacob," I sighed. "I realize that you came here because Bella is your friend and you care about her. I won't pretend that I like you, but I do understand that you were trying to look out for her. I… appreciate it." The words tasted wrong on my tongue. As soon as we got Jacob out of here safely, I hoped that I would never have to encounter him again.

"However," I continued, "now that you know what your true nature is, I'm sure you can understand the need for caution. You're going to phase eventually, and-"

"Phase? What's a phase?" he asked suspiciously.

"Phasing is when you fully transform into a wolf… a very large wolf. Someday, you'll learn to control your phasing, but in the beginning it will largely be triggered by emotions, just as it was today."

Carlisle laid his hand on my arm. _He needs to hear this from his father, Edward. It's not our place._

"I don't see why we can't tell him whatever we want," I argued. "This is the second time he's broken the treaty, after all. We didn't ask him to come here and phase right on our porch."

Jacob's face darkened. "Yeah… about that. I'm sorry, I guess. About the treaty thing, I mean. I didn't really think it was a big deal. It just seemed like one of those tradition things."

I nodded gracefully. "Of course, we understand. But now that you know, we expect you to follow the treaty in the future. There are distinct borderlines drawn, and your father will surely give you a tour. Now, as I was saying before, you're going to phase eventually. When it does happen, the transmutation is quite violent, and anyone standing near you would be severely injured or even killed. This is why I want you to stay away from Bella in the future."

Jacob's eyes flashed. "Hold on!" he growled, sitting up straighter. "You can't possibly think that I would _hurt_ her!"

"We know you wouldn't intentionally," put in Carlisle. "But the phasing is difficult to control in the beginning. You might not have time to back away from her. In fact, you might not even be able to think clearly enough to do so."

Jacob shuddered, remembering how his body had felt when he almost phased earlier. He knew that he had temporarily lost his reason, and it frightened him. "But now that I know not to get mad, I'll be able to stop it next time, right?"

"You can try," Carlisle answered. "But your body won't be able to hold back much longer, now that it's gotten so close. The genetic drive is simply too powerful. The rage that you felt today was _because_ of the gene."

"And the blonde guy? What did he have to do with it?"

I looked at Carlisle, who nodded to me reluctantly. _He already knows that Jasper is unusual. Keep it vague, though._

"Jasper is able to affect the emotions of those around him," I explained. "We know from experience that the phasing is usually preceded by feelings of intense anger, and Jasper was able to bring yours down enough to halt the transformation."

"Can you all do that?" he asked in wonder.

"No. Jasper has an unusual empathic talent."

"Okay, then what's your 'talent'? Sparkling?"

I smiled. "Not every vampire has an extra talent. It's quite rare, in fact." I hoped that he wouldn't follow this line of questioning any further. I had no problem with lying right to his face, but Carlisle might let his scruples get in the way. We needed to change the subject.

"So, you understand the danger now," I said quickly. "And you understand why I don't want you anywhere near Bella."

"No, I don't understand! _You_ stay away from her!" he said stubbornly. "I might have some kind of animal gene, but at least I'm not a freaking vampire! _You're_ the dangerous one! I can't believe my dad has been telling the truth about you guys! No wonder he doesn't let anyone go the hospital." He turned angrily on Carlisle. "Is that why you work there? So you can pilfer blood when no one's looking?"

"Jacob," I said patiently. "Look at your hands."

He lifted his hands up in front his face, and he grimaced when he saw them trembling again. He breathed in and out deeply, forcing them to relax.

"As we explained before," Carlisle said quietly, "We don't drink human blood. It's true that most vampires do, and we believe that is the reason that some in your tribe carry the werewolf gene; you're meant to protect your people from vampires. But our family is different. We have sworn to only consume the blood of animals because we feel that it's the right thing to do. We also do it because we enjoy living among humans, living with what normalcy we can."

"Then your family and my tribe aren't really enemies?"

At that moment I noticed my name being mentioned in someone's thoughts, about a mile away. I recognized the gravelly mental voice of Billy Black, and a new mind I had never heard before was picturing Carlisle. It must be Sam Uley, driving Billy to our house, and from the growing volume of their thoughts, I could tell they were almost at the entrance to our driveway.

"They're here," I muttered. "Your father and his… friend. They're driving in a truck."

"Where? I don't hear anything," Jacob said, looking around.

Carlisle smiled. "Our hearing is far beyond that of a human's. You'll probably hear the engine in a moment."

Jacob nodded, but I sighed as I listened to the conversation going on in the approaching truck.

"I think we need to tell Jacob everything," Sam was saying to Billy.

"No! I want to wait. If we tell him too much, he may be eager to begin phasing, and I want him to have a normal life for as long as possible."

"I understand where you're coming from," Sam said impatiently. "But with all those leeches crawling around, the pack needs all the help it can get. You know we've been hoping this would happen soon."

"Yes, but not _this_ soon," Billy moaned. "He was just starting to get his grades up."

"The safety of the tribe is more important than school," Sam said firmly.

They pulled into view, and both Billy and Sam frowned when they saw Carlisle and I sitting on the porch beside Jacob. The rest of our family, having heard the engine, crowded around the front door inside the house. Jasper was under control again, but he growled quietly in response to the disgust and anger emanating from the truck.

"To answer your question, Jacob," I said coldly, "Our species have been enemies since the dawn of time. We are designed to hate and kill one another; there's no denying the instincts that drive us to attack. But that doesn't mean we can't be civil. We are all sworn to uphold the treaty. You have nothing to fear from _us_."

"Let's stay seated," Carlisle whispered as the truck rolled to a stop in front of us. "We don't want to appear hostile."

Sam jumped out of the truck, and I flinched as the odor hit my nose. I hadn't smelled full werewolf in almost seventy years; I had forgotten how it affected me. My entire body tensed in preparation for the attack, and it took all my concentration to keep myself seated on the hot cement. Carlisle was struggling as well, and I glanced worriedly behind me, thankful for the small doorway blocking my family. They were all crowding closer, but nobody seemed like they were about to lose control. Emmett was fuming and his eyes were black, but I didn't think he was going to be a problem. No, my biggest worry was Jasper; he would be affected by everyone's rage, on top of his own. But he had his eyes closed in concentration, and was working to keep everyone calm, while battling his own desire to attack.

Through Jasper's gift, I could see that Sam himself was full of anger, but also fear. He had been hoping that we wouldn't all be at home, and his mind was racing with defense strategies should we decide to attack. He knew he couldn't fight off all seven of us, but he was resolved to defend Billy. He slowly got Billy's wheelchair and helped him into it, keeping his eyes on us the whole time. _Look at them! It's practically an army! I knew there were seven, but seeing them all in one place… ugh! And the smell!_ His own muscles were twitching, and he was glad for the task for getting the wheelchair ready; it was helping to keep his hands busy.

"Thank you for coming," Carlisle said when he was able to speak again.

"Thank you for calling," Billy said gruffly as he wheeled up. "So, Jacob has a fever?"

I saw now that Carlisle hadn't told Billy how close Jacob had gotten to phasing, although he had made it clear that he was in transition. Billy had asked permission to bring the Alpha along with him, and Carlisle had eagerly agreed, hoping that I would be able to learn more about the current pack by reading Sam's mind.

"You don't need to pretend anymore," Jacob said angrily. "Although it would have been nice to know this was coming. I sure wouldn't have come _here_ if I had known. Why, Dad? Why didn't you _tell_ me about this?"

Billy looked at Carlisle in anger. "It wasn't your place to tell him anything!"

Carlisle held up his hands peaceably. "I agree. But Jacob sought us out, and he came very close to phasing. We had to give him some answers, or he would have gotten upset and lost control again."

"Maybe _my_ son wouldn't have lost control if _your_ son had stuck to his own kind!" Billy countered. "The last time I saw Jacob, he was storming out of the house, swearing to protect Bella from her evil, abusive boyfriend!"

"I didn't ask Jacob to come here," I said hotly, suppressing the growl threatening to tear out of my chest. "And I would never harm Bella. Perhaps if you had been more forthcoming, Jacob wouldn't have felt the need to break the treaty in order to protect her."

Jacob jumped to his feet. "I'm standing right here!" he yelled. "Talk to _me_ if you've got something to say!"

Carlisle stood as well, but slowly, holding his hands away from his body to demonstrate his lack of aggression. I copied him, and we stepped down, along with Jacob, to the grass. Carlisle held his hand back toward the house, indicating that the others should stay inside. We all stood silently for a moment, breathing heavily. I could feel Jasper pumping calm over all of us, and it was finally starting to kick in.

Billy looked up at his son sadly. "I'm sorry I couldn't tell you, Jacob. I wasn't _allowed_ to tell you."

"Why not?" Jacob demanded. I was glad he had asked in front of us; I was curious about that particular rule myself.

"It's not that I didn't want to be honest with you. But since the change is triggered by intense emotion, our ancestors found that it was best to avoid telling the young men what was in store for them. When they knew ahead of time, the change always happened at a younger age. We hoped that if you remained unaware of your nature, and the danger the Cullens presented, that you'd be able to keep from phasing for at least another year. And it's not like I never told you about the wolves."

Jacob coughed out an incredulous laugh. "Right, in between stories about ghosts and goblins. Thanks, Dad. Does everyone back home know about this except me?"

"Only those of us in the pack, and the elders," Sam said. "And a very few family members." Jacob's eyes widened and he backed a step away from Sam.

"Wait. Did _you_ … no way," he breathed, looking down at his father's withered legs.

"No, I never phased, although I passed the gene onto you," Billy said regretfully. "There were no vampires living nearby when I was a young man. Only the presence of their kind triggers the change in us."

Jacob turned on me. "So this is _your_ fault? You made this happen to me?"

"We were unaware of this theory until recently," Carlisle said honestly. "If we had known the burden that we were bringing to your people, we never would have moved back to Forks."

I winced at the implication of his words. It was true—he would never have imposed this burden on the Quileutes had he known. We never would have moved back here, and I never would have met Bella. The thought of never having known her was strange, foreign. Loving her was the only reason I had ever existed! How strange to think that such a small thing could have changed the course of our lives. I felt a rush of relief that I hadn't had more opportunity to read the wolves' minds back in 1936. It would have been _my_ fault if we had never moved back, trying to respect the tribe. My mind-reading would have separated Bella from me forever.

Sam's eyes narrowed. "What do you mean, 'until recently'? Have you been spying on us?"

Carlisle's face gave nothing away, but his thoughts were racing in panic. I spoke up quickly. "Jacob told Bella about the werewolves… and about us. He didn't do it with any malice; he was sure that he was only repeating a ghost story. But he did tell her several traditions concerning the werewolves, and she told me about the theory that our presence was causing tribal members to phase. We weren't even sure the theory was valid until you confirmed it just now."

Jacob looked at me suspiciously. _That's weird. I don't remember telling her that._

"Well, I suppose you could call it a theory. It was my father who made the connection," Billy admitted. "When he passed into his thirties without phasing, he noticed that there hadn't been any vampires in the area since your group left the first time. I noticed the same thing with myself, and now that you're back, our young men are phasing again. I'd say my father's theory has been confirmed."

"I agree," said Carlisle reluctantly.

"And we are honored for the ability to protect our people," said Sam proudly. "But the fact remains that your presence is causing the gene to awaken. And now you're causing yet another of our young men to phase. I won't say that Jacob isn't welcome in my pack, but I must ask that you remove yourselves from this region. There are too many of you, and there's no telling who is going to begin phasing next. I'm sure you can agree that more werewolves phasing isn't in anyone's best interest."

"Just a minute," I interrupted. "You're asking us to leave Forks just because Jacob is preparing to phase? This is our home!"

"You are wanderers," Sam said casually. "Surely one town is as good as another. I will uphold the treaty for now, but I am worried that if you stay much longer, other young men are going to begin phasing."

"I thought you said it was an honor," I said sarcastically.

"It is. But it is also a burden, and I wouldn't truly wish this life on anyone."

"I don't want it either!" Jacob moaned. "I just want to be a normal guy."

"I know," Billy said quietly. "I want that for you, too." He looked up at Carlisle. "How close did he come?"

"Seconds away," Carlisle admitted. Billy's face fell. He had been hoping that we were exaggerating when we said he had almost phased.

"It was awful," Jacob murmured, remembering. "I felt like I was about to explode. I could literally feel my bones starting to break."

Sam looked at him curiously. "And you were able to stop the transition? How?"

Jacob pointed back at Jasper. "That guy. He does some sort of mood control thing, and he calmed me down."

I sighed in exasperation. Of course it would have been too much to expect Jacob to keep his mouth shut.

Sam bent down to speak in Billy's ear for a moment. "Why didn't we know about this? We weren't aware that any of them had extra abilities."

Billy whispered back that Jasper hadn't been one of the group back in 1936. It was ridiculous that he bothered to whisper; we could have heard him from across the yard.

Sam straightened and glared at Carlisle. "What other abilities does your group possess?" he demanded.

I looked at Carlisle intently, silently begging him to lie. It was useless, of course. His morals were infuriating sometimes.

"I don't see the need to go into detail about my children's personal lives," he answered, and I rolled my eyes. He couldn't have piqued their interest more.

"We have a right to know these things," Sam said through his clenched teeth. His scent was growing more potent and his hands were beginning to tremble. Jacob noticed it too, and cursed under his breath.

"Let's all stay calm," I suggested loudly. Sam opened and closed his hands several times, stopping the transition.

"We have a right to know," he repeated in a calmer voice. "Treaty or not, your kind is still our enemy and we have a right to know what we're up against."

"It doesn't really matter, does it? You obviously don't want us here. Why not just run us out of town?" I challenged.

Sam grimaced. _Don't I wish we could. Maybe, in a year, we'll have a couple more wolves and the numbers will be more even._ "I am willing to compromise," he announced finally. "I will allow you to stay until the end of the summer if you tell me about all the extra abilities your group has."

There were several gasps behind me, and I clenched my teeth in anger. Sam hadn't mentioned anything about us leaving so soon! I shared his regret for the growing number of wolves, but this was ridiculous! Bella wouldn't finish high school for another year. No, this was unacceptable.

"Carlisle," I growled.

"That's not good enough," my father said firmly. "We want to stay. I am sorry about the wolves, but the damage is very likely done by now. I don't think our departure would change anything."

"I disagree!" said Sam angrily. "Jacob's transition only proves that you bloodsuckers are still infecting the area!"

"Let's discuss this rationally," said Carlisle, his patience wearing thin. "Billy, you are the acting chief. Perhaps you should call the tribal elders together and we could all meet to discuss this."

"I want you all to leave as well," Billy added. "But you're right, dissolving the treaty is not a call that Sam and I can make alone." As soon as the words came out of his mouth, he looked at the ground thoughtfully. _We don't need the Cullens' agreement to dissolve the treaty. We won't have the numbers to attack them outright, but once I get the treaty lifted, the pack can start picking them off one by one, when they're alone or in pairs. And once Sam and I give them the proof that Jacob's been triggered, I know we can get Harry's vote. He won't want Seth to phase..._

"No one said anything about _dissolving_ the treaty," Carlisle said sharply.

Billy looked back up at him and smiled. "You're right. Perhaps we were too hasty. Let me take Jacob home so he can rest, and we'll contact you when we're ready to meet."

I had to force myself to stand still, instead of attacking Billy on the spot like I wanted to. He had no intention of calling us about anything. He intended to ask the council to unilaterally dissolve the treaty! I slowly reached behind Carlisle's back and tapped him on the shoulder three times. We had set this signal up many years ago; it was my way of telling him that I had heard something important in someone's thoughts, and that I needed to speak to him immediately. He nodded slightly.

"Of course," he said smoothly. "Just let me speak to my family for a moment. We may want to give you a statement to present to the council."

Billy shrugged, and Carlisle and I entered the house.

As soon as I had shut the door, Billy was whispering his plan to Sam. Sam didn't seem to like the dishonesty, but he was willing to ask the council's opinion.

"What is it, Edward?" Carlisle asked.

I quickly explained Billy's plan, and my siblings hissed in anger.

"I can't believe the council would go along with that," Esme said. "I thought the treaty was always based on a sense of honor."

"It may be. But the council is made up of parents. They may be motivated to protect their children from phasing, even if the action itself is dishonorable," I said miserably. "Of course, we can't respond to this threat without revealing how I learned of it."

"That might not be such a bad idea, Edward. What if we offer them a compromise?" Carlisle mused. "I could offer to pull us out at the end of your senior year, and in exchange for the time extension, we would disclose your and Alice's talents."

Everyone looked at me. Carlisle's had clearly devised this plan with Bella in mind, and we all knew it. I knew I should say something about how they didn't need to stay in Forks just because of me, but I didn't. I was simply too selfish. I nodded my agreement.

"I don't like it," Jasper said, looking down at Alice. "We're giving them too much for too little."

"Oh, what does it matter?" snapped Rosalie. "It's not like we're coming back here ever again. Say whatever will get their stink out of our yard."

"Before anyone refuses this plan, let me finish," Carlisle continued. "Giving a departure plan will appease the council, and there may be a strategic advantage to having them aware of our gifts."

I saw where his thoughts were going, and I grinned. "You're right. They'll fear not only our numbers, but also our talents. And this will make them less likely to try anything treacherous. We won't tell them about the holes in Alice's vision, of course."

Carlisle nodded. "Of course not. Is anyone vehemently opposed to this offer?"

He was met with silence, and he headed back out the door.

"We would like to suggest a different compromise," he announced when we had reassembled outside. "We understand your feelings about our presence in the region, and we wouldn't wish to place any further burden on the tribe. However, my two youngest are still in high school and would like to begin college at our next location. I propose that you allow us to stay–treaty intact—until they graduate. It's less than a year, and I truly doubt that it would make a difference as far as the creation of new werewolves is concerned."

"I thought you said this was a compromise," Sam said. "What are you offering in return for this?"

Carlisle took a deep breath. "Disclosure of our talents. Of course, I would need the assurance of the council that the treaty will remain intact before I do so."

Sam looked down to Billy, who nodded eagerly. He _had_ felt guilty about his plan a few moments ago, and the prospect of learning about our abilities was too good to pass up. "I think we can speak for the council in this instance," he announced, looking up a Sam, who nodded his agreement.

"Very well. We will plan to leave Forks in June of next year," Carlisle agreed.

"Now, the abilities?" Billy asked eagerly.

Alice stepped down lightly, standing before Billy and Sam. "I have visions of the future," she said in a small voice.

I stepped forward, as well. "I can read minds."

Jacob snickered. "Right. And I can fly."

Jasper moved forward, but stayed on the porch. "You've already felt my gift in action," he said to Jacob. He looked over at Billy and Sam. "I can read, as well as influence, people's emotions."

"And it's debatable whether Emmett's enormous strength is a supernatural talent or not," Carlisle said finally. "But he is stronger than any other vampire I've encountered." I bit back a smile; Carlisle was stretching it now. But he hadn't lied, and whatever intimidated Sam and Billy was fine by me.

Sam and Billy just stared at us. "That's all very interesting," Sam finally choked out, "if it's true."

"Perhaps you'd like a little demonstration," I said coldly as I took a step toward him. "Right now you're thinking that if I get any closer to you, you're going to have to stand in the shower all night to get rid of the stench."

Sam's eyes widened and Jacob burst out laughing, along with Emmett.

I wasn't finished. I folded my arms, glaring down at Billy with the most menacing stare I could muster. "And a few moments ago, Billy was considering asking the council to unilaterally dissolve the treaty. He was thinking how nice it would be if the pack could start picking us off, one by one, with impunity. Shall I continue?"

Billy swallowed. "I think you've made your point," he said grudgingly. "It seems the situation is a bit more complicated than we thought."

"Yes, it is," Carlisle said sternly. "But we're willing to honor this new agreement, and you have my word that we will not return as long as your descendents endure in this region."

"That is acceptable," Sam said. "I think we'll take Jacob now. I'll begin his instruction."

Jacob stepped toward his father's car, looking back at me nervously. _So, you can… hear me right now?_

I nodded, and he grimaced. _Then I guess you know what I think about all this treaty crap. Why are you guys so determined to hate each other? If you're not killing anybody, and we're not killing anybody, what's the problem?_

"I wish it were that simple," I said quietly. He nodded sadly to me, and squared his shoulders. He stepped over to his father's side, pushing his wheelchair around to the passenger door of the Ford. Sam glanced around our family, then gave Carlisle a curt nod before getting back in the truck.

We watched them drive away in silence. Jacob looked back at us in the rear view mirror, thinking that we looked like a collection of statues posed around the door of our home.

"Well, I think that went well," Carlisle breathed as they disappeared around the curve.

"It went _very_ well," I said. "Sam is under the impression that I can hear every mind on the reservation at this moment, and Billy is afraid that Jasper will manipulate the pack into killing each other."

"Cool. And I have supernatural strength now!" Emmett crowed as he uprooted an oak with one hand. He tossed it into the woods, whooping as he watched it crash through the trees.

"Emmett!" Esme scolded. "That tree was older than you!"

"Well, I'm not going to be the one to correct their mistakes," Carlisle said. "I'm just relieved they didn't ask for a demonstration of Alice's talent."

While everyone congratulated themselves, I gazed back toward our driveway, following Jacob's thoughts on the awkward drive home with his father. He was avoiding Billy's proud gaze, wishing that this had never happened to him. He was terrified at the thought of phasing, and was taken aback by my revelation of his father's treachery. But most of all, he was thinking about the enmity between his people and our family, and wondering why it had to exist at all. Even with all he had learned about me today, he still saw me as a regular teenage guy. He actually hated me _less_ now that he knew the truth.

He would feel differently as soon as the gene was fully active, of course. He would be repulsed by my smell, and the genetic hatred of my kind would take control of his prejudices. He would participate in the pack mind, and begin patrolling with his brothers, sniffing along the borders of his land in an endless effort to protect his people from the blood drinkers.

It was a shame, really. In another world, one without monsters, we might have been friends.


	23. Petty

**Sorry for the delay this time. The big drama of this story is about to begin so here's a smaller, lighter chapter in the meantime.**

**BPOV**

I took another sip of my warm soda. I was hoarse from singing, and the fact that I had been singing at _all_ was a testament to how much I loved Edward Cullen. We were sitting on one of the bigger boulders at a place called Shipwreck Point, and he had brought along a pizza and another one of his guitars. I was glad that he had told me to dress warmly- it was quite windy here, and the sun had given up all hope of returning this week.

As I ate my early dinner, he serenaded me, keeping in time with the crashing waves that pounded the little beach. But this time he had chosen surf music, and instead of drifting off to sleep to my lullaby, I had found myself tapping my foot and eventually singing along in my tone-deaf, squeaky voice. I had been mortified when the first awful note came out of my mouth, but the huge grin that had spread over Edward's face made me keep going. I couldn't remember a time when I had done anything to make him look so happy and carefree before. If my singing was what it took to keep him smiling like that, well, then I would just have to sing for the rest of eternity.

We were both avoiding _that_ topic today. We had been through so much in the past week, that I think both of us just wanted to have fun today, and pretend that we were just two teenagers in love. The beach and the music fit perfectly with that goal, and I set the soda can back down on the blanket, ready to sing again. I actually knew a lot of the songs he had selected; surf music had been one of Renee's musical phases.

But Edward had heard me running out of steam, and he switched now into picking a random stream of notes. This was nice, too. I laid down on my side, propping my head up with one hand and watched the waves as the notes from the guitar gradually began to shift into a slow, pulsing melody that rose and fell with the tide.

"Is this another one of your compositions?" I asked dreamily.

"Yes. I wrote this one back in the late fifties, for Jasper and Alice."

I listened for a while, trying to pick out which part of the melody was Jasper and which part was Alice.

"How many songs have you written, anyway?"

He smiled, looking out over the water. "I don't know. So many are unfinished. Hundreds, I suppose."

"Wow. I had no idea you were so prolific." Time to feel insignificant again.

"Well, most of it is your fault," he teased, tucking a flyaway strand of hair behind my ear. "At least half of them have been written because of you."

"Wait, how is that possible? You've only known me for six months, if that."

"Six months, thirteen days, five hours and thirty-six seconds," he said thoughtfully. "Thirty seven, now. But who's counting?"

I just blushed, making him smile again. "To answer your question," he continued, "some of my music was written about you several years ago, in the hope that I would meet you someday. I had very little hope that I would ever find the kind of love that my parents had, but I knew that I couldn't settle for anything less. So I just wrote songs about her… about you. I knew it might never amount to anything, but these things have a way of writing themselves."

"Wow."

His smile grew. "Of course, now I know that the inspiration just hadn't been born yet. That I had to wait for you, and that it was only a matter of time." He laid the guitar aside, laying down on his side, copying my posture. "You still haven't heard some of them. You will, though. I promise."

"All right. As long as Jasper can accompany you on banjo." He laughed, a deep, carefree sound that made my heart soar.

"Is there anything else you'd like to do today?" he asked.

"Let's just stay here for a while. I want to hear more if this music you've written for me."

"All right." He sat back up, clipping the capo onto the neck of the guitar.

"But then I think I should head back home before too long," I said reluctantly. "Charlie's not thrilled that we're back to seeing each other every day."

He frowned, looking back out at the water as he began to play again. "Maybe we should stick to daytime for a while, while he's at work."

"I guess so. And if I don't cook for him enough, he always ends up at that nasty diner. Don't you sometimes wish we could just, you know, tell him? It would be so much easier."

Edward stopped playing and turned around, facing me. "Tell him what?"

"You know. Everything."

"Bella, you know we can't do that."

"I know."

"And it wouldn't be _easier_. Charlie would feel even more obligated to keep me away from you. And he would also feel the need to protect the town against us- it's his job as the Chief of Police. And that kind of thing attracts attention. It's bad enough that _you_ know the truth about us. Don't you remember what I told you about the Volturi?"

"They're the rulers, right?"

"They see themselves more as protectors," he said disgustedly, "although they have far too much power. They are the ones who… _intervene_ if there is even a hint that our existence could be exposed. If they were to find out how much you know…" He trailed off, swallowing. "We're taking a big enough risk as it is."

"I know," I sighed. "I wasn't really suggesting it. I was just wishing that…" _Wishing that this part was already behind us._

"That I was human. That this could be normal," he guessed.

"No. Maybe I did at first, but now... I don't know, that wouldn't seem like enough anymore. Seventy years isn't nearly enough time with you, now that I know what I _could_ have."

Edward's eyes closed in exasperation. "Bella…"

I bit my lip. Didn't I plan on avoiding this subject? "Anyway, I _do_ wish we didn't have to lie to Charlie so much."

"I wish that too."

"It's really ironic, isn't it? He's the protector of his town, and he has no clue that there are vampires and werewolves less than twenty miles from the police station."

Edward frowned again, putting down his guitar. "Yes… about the werewolves."

"What?"

"Jacob paid a little visit to our house earlier today."

"Um, would this visit have had anything to do with me?"

"Yes."

So _that's_ where Jacob had gone. I had sat nervously beside the phone for two hours, waiting for Charlie to call me in a rage, to tell me that Jacob had given him new information about the Cullens. When the call never came, I finally assumed that Jacob had calmed down and gone home. No such luck, apparently.

I sighed heavily. "What did he do?"

"He was furious. He had seen the marks on your arm and face, and put two and two together. He came to tell me to stay out of your life once and for all. He got so angry that he almost phased right on our front porch."

" _What_?"

"And he _would_ have phased, if Jasper hadn't been home. He pulled him back from the brink, but it was touch and go for a moment."

"Is he okay?"

Edward snorted. "He's fine. It scared him half to death, though. He didn't even know what had happened to him until I explained it."

"Until you- wait, what? You told him? He knows now?"

"Yes. And he knows about us now, too. Billy and Sam- he's the Alpha wolf- came to pick him up. Sam would have told him anyway, if I hadn't."

I rolled flat onto my back, staring up at the sky. So Jacob _knew_ now. What did he think of all this? Was he scared? Was he excited? I tried to picture my friend exploding into a huge animal, but I just couldn't comprehend it.

"Listen, Bella," Edward said, reaching down to touch my cheek. "Alice could barely see Jacob when he came over, and now she's lost him completely. He is very, very close now to phasing. And the next time Jasper probably won't be around to stop it. In fact, he probably wouldn't be able to stop it even if he _was_ there. Jacob is more dangerous than ever right now. It's _imperative_ that you stay away from him."

I rolled over, facing him again. "Jacob is my friend, Edward. He's probably going through a tough time right now. You can't stop me from seeing him."

He held my gaze. "Yes, I can."

I swallowed, unsure what to think. Would Edward really, physically stop me if I tried? Would he really cross that line?

"You don't understand what it was like," Edward said quietly as he took my hands. "You _can't_ understand what it was like, when the van almost crushed you. When I almost didn't reach you in time, back in Port Angeles. When James-" he stopped, wincing as he turned away. "And last week, when Alice thought you were going to die. You can't _begin_ to comprehend what that did to me, every time I thought I was really about to lose you. I will _not_ let it get that close again, ever. Not for Jacob, not for anything. I _can't_."

"Fine. I'll call him, then."

He sighed in defeat. "If you must."

"Why, Edward? Why do you have to hate him so much? If this about being jealous, don't be! He's fifteen, for crying out loud!"

He just shrugged. "I'm one hundred and four."

I smacked him on the arm. "You know what I mean. There's nothing for you to be jealous of."

"This isn't about jealousy. It's about a natural, genetic enmity between our two species. We are designed to kill each other, Bella. When I stand near him- worse, when I stand near _Sam_ , who has full werewolf scent- my body reacts instantly. Every cell in me aches to attack, and it's the same for them. Even Carlisle feels it. How he ever kept us calm enough to create the treaty back then is beyond me."

"Well, he's like the super-wise vampire, though."

"Yes, Carlisle is wise. About a lot of things." Edward suddenly looked sad. His face was paler than usual, and his eyes hadn't been the right color all day. I reached up to his face, touching the familiar purple streaks under his eyes.

"You look thirsty," I said softly. It was time to change the subject anyway.

"Yes, we all are; it's been a difficult week. I might go out tonight while you're with Charlie."

"Okay. But now can I hear some more of the music?"

He smiled, bending down to kiss me briefly. "Of course."

.

.

.

It turned out that Charlie hadn't eaten yet, so I made him some steak and fries. Not quite the healthy dinner that I had been threatening, but my salad stuff had finally died in the fridge.

"This is great, Bells. Way better than that salisbury steak over at the diner."

"Ugh, you eat that?"

"Hey, I'll take my daughter's home cooking any day. You wanna help me do the lawn after dinner?"

"Actually, I was planning on doing some grocery shopping tonight. This house needs some vegetables."

"Why tonight?"

I shrugged, avoiding his gaze. "They stock the produce in the afternoon. I'll get the best stuff if I go now." I knew he wouldn't call my bluff on _that_ one.

He grunted disapprovingly, but nodded. "Well, nice to see you doing something other than hanging out with that boy."

"Oh, he's busy anyway," I said nonchalantly. "Thought I'd give Jake a call before I head out, though."

His eyebrows raised slightly, and although he didn't say anything, he was whistling as he stood up to clear his dishes. I knew it was wrong to give him hope, but I'd do pretty much anything at this point to get him off Edward's case. I still couldn't believe he called Edward's adoption agency… or thought he did, anyway.

After dinner I took the phone into my room so I could call Jacob. Billy answered after the third ring.

"Hi Billy, it's Bella Swan. Is Jacob around?"

"Oh… hi, Bella. Yeah, he's home but he's not feeling well. Got a fever."

A fever? Was that one of the werewolf symptoms? I couldn't remember from Edward's story now. The thought of Jacob just staying at home, sick and scared, made _me_ feel sick.

Billy was still talking. "So, I'll tell him you called. Give him a few days, all right?"

"Billy, is Jacob really sick, or is this… because of what happened earlier today?"

There was a long pause. "I guess that leech told you all of our business, didn't he?" he asked in a scathing voice.

"Well, it was really my fault that it happened," I said quickly. "I had already known about the legends, and… " I clamped my mouth shut. _Idiot._ I just couldn't keep all these cover stories straight. Who knew what, and who was supposed to know it, and who was supposed to know that I knew. Ugh.

"Listen, Billy, I just want to know if Jacob's all right. Can I speak to him, please?"

"No, he really does have a fever. Really. It would probably just be better if you left him alone."

I was busy coming up with a good argument, but the dial tone interrupted my train of thought. I shut the phone off angrily. Why did everyone have to be so childish about this, anyway? I stormed downstairs and grabbed the grocery money out of its jar.

"Anything you want from the store, Dad?" I grumbled as I reached for the doorknob.

"Whatever you want is fine by me. Oh! If they have those little apple pies at the bakery…"

"You got it. See you later." I slammed the door behind me, my own childish protest at the whole supernatural world and their petty feuds.

.

.

.

The grocery store was only a few miles away, but I was driving slowly, thinking. Was Jacob really sick, or was it a werewolf thing? Had I just gotten Edward in trouble, by letting Billy know that I knew about the wolves? Was Jacob mad at me, now that he knew who I was _really_ dating? Was there any way to find all this out, without sneaking over to Jacob's house while Edward wasn't looking?

I slowed the truck down even more. He had said they _might_ be out hunting tonight. And even if they were, Alice would know as soon as I decided to go. Still, I was only a couple of miles from La Push. Even running at top speed, I doubted that he could stop me…

Before I could waste any more time thinking, I swung the truck around and hit the gas for all it was worth.


	24. Fire and Ice

As soon as I entered the reservation, I eased up on the gas, letting my truck catch its breath. The ominous rattling that had been protesting my speed stopped, and the silence left me feeling unsure of my plan. What was I doing here? It wasn't like Jacob was my best friend or anything. Was I coming here just to prove to myself that I could? Was I coming as an emissary from the vampire side of the line, or was I coming to apologize that, once again, I had screwed everything up? If it hadn't been for me, Jacob wouldn't have broken the treaty again, and he wouldn't be laying in bed right now, fearing for his humanity. And what was Edward going to say when I came back home?

The last question was the one that made me keep driving. I didn't want to add to Edward's troubles, but I also didn't want him to think that he had any right to pick and choose my friends. If I gave in on this one, who knows what rule he would come up with next? I knew that he was only trying to protect me, but I would be careful; if Jacob looked crazy like he had earlier today, then I would just run out of the house. It really wasn't that complicated.

I found Jacob's house easily and pulled up. It was raining now, and I stood shivering on the porch in my thin sweater, knocking over and over. I finally got my courage up, and creaked open the door, peeking inside.

Billy was in his wheelchair, wearing an innocent expression as he made his way slowly to the door.

"Sorry, Bella, I couldn't hear the door over the TV. What are you doing here?"

"I want to see Jacob."

"I don't think that's-"

"Dad, just let her come in here!" Jacob called from another part of the house. His voice sounded odd, and I ran past Billy into what must have been Jacob's room.

I hadn't been in here since I was a kid, and the Superman posters and figurines had been replaced by fighter pilot models, framed family photos, and a few things that looked Quileute in origin. Jacob was in his bed, looking exhausted and sweaty.

"You knew," he accused weakly.

Right down to business, then. I sat awkwardly on the foot of the bed, nodding as I sank onto the mattress. "I only found out about you guys- the wolves, I mean, a couple days ago."

"And the vampires?" he demanded.

I gave him half a smile, the best I could muster. "I have _you_ to thank for knowing that. The beach, remember?"

He looked confused. "When did I… oh."

"Yeah."

"You've known what he was the whole time? Even at Prom?"

"Yep."

"That's disgusting, Bella! You're, like, food to him!"

I rolled my eyes. "You were also the one who told me they're not like other vampires, remember? None of them are like that. Listen, Jake, I'm sorry I couldn't say anything before. About you, I mean."

"I know," he said miserably. "Dad says it's 'better' that way. It's one of their traditions- keeping us in the dark as long as possible."

"So, um, how are you feeling? Now that it's been a few hours?"

"It's just like having the flu. Although Dad says my fever is coming down. He seems to think that my body wasn't really ready to do it, and that if I stay calm and rest a lot, I might be able to put it off for a while."

"And you want to? Put it off?"

He scooted up onto his elbows. "Of course I do! Would _you_ want to turn into an animal?"

I just shook my head.

"Dad and Sam put me to bed as soon as we got home. It's like Sam is suddenly interested in being my big brother, or something. He just sat by me and talked for hours about what an honor it is, how amazing it is, our heritage, blah blah blah. How he'll introduce me to my 'brothers' when I'm feeling up to it. How I should feel privileged to be protecting the tribe. _He_ doesn't want me to put it off."

"Wow. So he's the 'Alpha', right?"

"Yeah. He didn't want to talk about that part of it, though. He just said we'll work that part out later. He did say something about you, though."

"Uh oh."

"No, nothing bad. He just said that you should keep your distance for a while, that it's not safe for you to be around me. That I'm dangerous in the beginning."

"Oh. Well, that's nothing new. Edward thinks the same thing."

"I know. He told me, too. So, how'd you get past him?"

"Past him?"

He smiled conspiratorially. "Yeah, tonight. He couldn't have just _let_ you come over here."

I was about to make some smart comment about how I don't let vampires run my life, but since Jacob was finally smiling, I decided to keep it light. "I snuck out while they were hunting," I said, leaning closer and wiggling my eyebrows.

"Nice! Wait, how come the fortune teller didn't catch you? And how come Edward didn't just see the plan in your head?"

I hesitated. I had already goofed once on the cover stories today, and I didn't want to again. "What are you talking about?" I asked slowly.

He scooted up higher in the bed. "Don't play stupid, Bella. They told us everything. That was part of the new treaty."

"Okay, now I really don't understand what you're talking about. What _new_ treaty?"

"Oh, so your bloodsucker didn't tell you about that? Figures."

I narrowed my eyes. "Don't call him that, Jacob."

He rolled his eyes. "Sorry, I forgot which side you were on."

"I'm not on anyone's _side_ ," I said hotly. "Well… I guess I am, in a way. But my point is, why do there have to be sides at all? Why can't they all just leave each other alone?"

"That's what I said! Even your bl- I mean, Edward, said he wished it could be that way. But Sam says it's just the way we are. He said I'll understand as soon as I start phasing. Ugh." He flopped backwards onto the pillows in disgust.

"You didn't answer my question. What's this about a new treaty?"

"Okay, so Sam's all upset because the vampires are the ones triggering us, right? Follow me?"

I nodded.

"Anyway, he and the head vampire- the doctor- they got into an big argument today about Sam wanting them all to leave, so that they'll stop triggering new werewolves. He wanted them to leave right away, and the vampires didn't want to leave at all. So they compromised- we let them stay until next June, in return for them telling us all about their superpowers. You know, the little fortune teller, and the mood ring guy, and the Hulk guy, and Edward poking around in all our minds. Talk about creepy. How do you stand that? Him knowing what you're thinking all the time?"

"He can't read _my_ mind. I have some sort of glitch."

He grinned. "Nice. Anyway, so that was the new treaty- they have to leave in June, and never come back."

I frowned. Why hadn't Edward told me about this?

"Your turn," Jacob said, crossing his arms on top of the covers.

"What?"

"You didn't answer _my_ question yet. How did you sneak out today? Couldn't the fortune teller just stop you ahead of time?"

"Well, it was a last minute decision. And besides, you know she can't see me when I'm on the reservation."

He uncrossed his arms slowly. "I know that," he said in an odd voice. "But I still don't understand _why_ that is."

"Because she can't see the wolves, or the future of anyone near them. Didn't-" I clamped my mouth shut. Did I just screw up again? "You didn't know, did you? You tricked me!" I grabbed one his extra pillows and threw it at his face.

Jacob grinned, batting the pillow away. "Don't worry, I won't tell Sam. It'll be nice having a secret from _them_ for once. They deserve it."

The phone rang then, and Jacob scowled. "That had better not be Sam again. He's been checking on me all night."

"Bella!" Billy called from the living room. "The phone is for you!" I could tell from the disgust in his voice who it was.

I moaned, letting my head fall into my hands. Did he really have to call _here_? Jacob picked up the phone on his bedside table and tossed it to me.

"Hello?" I asked timidly.

"Bella." It was Edward, all right- and he wasn't happy.

"Um, hi. Back from hunting already?"

"We cut it short. Imagine my surprise when Alice informed me that you had disappeared."

"I know, I _know_ you're mad-"

"It doesn't matter," he said coldly. "Just get out of there, please. _Now_."

Jacob held his hand out for the phone, but I shook my head, turning away from him. "Listen," I hissed into the phone. "It's fine. Jacob isn't angry, or furry or anything. In fact, he's lying down."

"Why? Does he have a fever?"

"Well, yes, but-"

"That's even worse! Are you _trying_ to get yourself killed?"

"Can we talk about this later?" I growled.

"I'm coming to get you."

"You can't! The treaty-"

"Treaty," he scoffed. "As if that mattered." I could hear Carlisle talking rapidly in the background.

"No! I'm leaving soon, all right? I'm on my way to the grocery store."

There was a pause. "Fine. I'll meet you there in ten minutes. _Ten_." He hung up and I groaned again as I handed the phone back to Jacob.

"Busted, huh?" he sighed as he put it back on the table.

I flopped sideways, crashing onto the bed. "He's not always like that, you know. Just about werewolves."

"Right. Keep telling yourself that."

"He's a good guy, Jacob, really. The best."

He frowned. "Yeah, I guess he's all right. He's actually the one who finally told me the truth. My dad was about to keep lying to me, but Edward had told me everything by the time he got there. And he was helping the head vamp try to keep it cool at the meeting. Anyway, he's right. You shouldn't be here."

"Not you, too!"

"No, seriously. Sam was telling me how he accidentally hurt his girlfriend once, because she was standing too close when he phased. She's scarred for life."

"Wow. That's _awful_."

"Yeah, Sam was really upset when he told me about it. That's why he thought you and I shouldn't see each other for a while. I guess he's right."

"Well, I'll call you a lot, okay?"

"Yeah."

I stood up and walked to the head of the bed, leaning down to hug him goodbye. At first, he leaned away, shaking his head. But I rolled my eyes and pulled him closer, squeezing his shoulders. "Sorry about all this," I muttered into his pillow.

"Me too," he said dejectedly. "You know what the worst part is? Now that I know more about him, I can't even hate him anymore. I mean, he might be a monster, but I'm one too, right? It's not like I could have been human for you, if you guys… you know."

I pulled away, frowning. Was this my fault? I had flirted with him that day at the beach, and he had been hinting every time we had met since then. "Jacob…" I sighed.

"No, I get it," he said gruffly. "I'm just not the right _kind_ of monster for you."

"I've got to go," I mumbled, heading for the bedroom door before things got more awkward.

"Yeah, you wouldn't want to be one minute late. I'm surprised he doesn't keep you locked up in his crypt." His voice was getting louder now, and I spun around, facing him.

"Listen, Jacob. You need to stop trying to break us up, all right? I love him, human or not. We're going to be together forever, and I'm not going to change my mind. So please, just stop. It doesn't help."

"What do you mean, forever?" he asked slowly.

"I just mean that he's my soul mate," I explained, trying to stay calm. "It's not even a choice. We were meant for each other, and nothing is going to come between us, ever. So don't try."

He threw off the covers and stood, closing the distance between us. "Is that what he told you? That you had no choice?"

"I make my own choices, Jacob," I said quietly, taking a step backwards.

"And when they leave in June, what then? What did you mean by 'forever'?"

"We haven't… come to an agreement on that, yet. Not that it's any of your business."

"So that's what he's planning? To turn you into one of _them_?" His eyes were wide now, and in the corner of my eye, I could see his hands trembling. I took another step backwards.

"That's what _I_ want." Why was I telling him any of this?

"Right. Let's see, we've got a mind reader, a mood control guy, a psychic and who knows what else. How do you know they're not just making you _think_ that's what you want? Don't vampires do that hypnotic thing?"

"No, they don't. In fact, Edward wants me to stay human. I'm the one trying to convince _him_ , all right?"

"Sure, Bella. That makes perfect sense," he said angrily. "Don't you see what they're doing to you? I bet he's lying about not being able to read your mind, too. If you would just-" He lifted up his hand in frustration, finally seeing the tremors. He groaned, clenching his fist and turning away from me. "Bella, I think you should leave now," he said to the far wall.

"Yeah, I think I should too," I said coldly. "Goodnight."

I stormed out of his room, slamming his door behind me. Billy was looking at me with a warning in his eyes. "Don't worry," I muttered as I as I marched past him. "I'll leave him alone now."

.

.

.

Edward was already standing in the parking lot by the time I pulled up. I glanced around, not finding his car. Had he _run_ here? I turned off the engine, but didn't get out yet. What were we going to say to each other?

"Are you all right?" He said quietly beside me, and I jumped. I spun around to face him, and was met with his anguished frown. His hair was plastered to his forehead from the rain, and his clothes were soaked. How long had he been waiting? The rain had stopped before I had even left Jacob's house.

"I'm fine. He was in control the whole time," I lied. Of course my treacherous heart was racing, and his eyes closed in exasperation.

" _Why_ , Bella? After everything I told you? After I _specifically_ said that I didn't want you there?"

"Listen," I said with more courage than I felt. "It's not 1918 anymore, all right? You can't just make up rules and expect me to follow them."

"This is a unique situation."

"What's _not_ unique about any of this? Are you going to make a rule that I can't go back to school, because another van might come and get me?"

A small smile threatened to break through his stern expression. "Looks like Emmett is out twenty bucks," he murmured. "Jasper bet him that you wouldn't listen. No matter. I'll just have to keep a closer eye on you."

"Don't bother. Jacob agrees with you."

"Regarding what?"

"That he's too dangerous to be around right now. He practically kicked me out."

Edward leaned back in the passenger seat, looking thoughtful. "Well, that's… reasonable of him. Hmm. Maybe the dog isn't as brainless as I thought."

"Ugh! You two are impossible!" I threw open the door and headed for the store entrance.

Edward joined me and picked up one of the little hand-held shopping baskets. When we got inside, I pulled off my sweater, tying it around my waist. It was still damp and besides, it was warm inside the store.

Edward stopped in his tracks, frozen. "What? I hissed. I hadn't bothered with the makeup today, and it wasn't like anyone in the grocery store was going to inspect my now-barely-visible burns. I followed his gaze down to my right arm, and sighed when I saw it. Just below my elbow, there was a new handprint-a real bruise this time, no doubt courtesy of Jacob when he had stormed into my house this morning. It wasn't nearly as distinct as the one Edward had made; there were four purple spots, and another one halfway around my arm where Jacob's thumb had been.

"Fantastic," I grumbled. "That's just great."

"I'm going to kill him," Edward breathed. He didn't even look angry- he could have been discussing the weather.

"Oh, please. It doesn't even hurt." I poked the bruise with my other hand, wincing at the pain that the slight pressure caused.

Edward caught up to me at human speed, cradling my arm in his hands gently. "And you still went to his house, after he did this to you?"

"It's not like he's the only one who left a handprint on me," I muttered. Edward released my arm and backed up a step, looking pained. "I didn't mean it like that," I said quickly. "It's just that you two are being so _ridiculous_. These kinds of things happen when a human fraternizes with immortals."

"I'll call Alice and ask her to get some more makeup ready," he said in a defeated voice.

I grabbed a package of lettuce and tossed it into the basket Edward was holding. "Great. I love makeup. And why didn't you tell me about the new treaty you guys formed today?"

He shrugged. "It was nothing, really. We couldn't have stayed in Forks much longer than that, anyway. Carlisle is already claiming thirty-two, and that's usually when his coworkers begin to wonder how he manages to keep looking so great."

I tossed in a bag of carrots and an onion. "Well, at least we'll be able to finish senior year."

Edward followed me quietly as I weaved in and out of the produce aisles. He looked as though he was trying to decide whether or not to say something.

I waited until the customer near us moved on, and then I walked back toward him, burying my face in his shoulder. "Look, I'm not sorry that I went over there. But I _am_ sorry that I made you worry." I pulled back, searching his face to see if I was forgiven. His eyes were darker than I had expected. "You didn't hunt," I accused sadly.

"Yes, I did."

"Oh. I guess you're still mad at me, then."

"Mad?" he asked in confusion. "I not mad at _you_. I'm mad at those mongrels for even existing near you. I'm mad at Alice for not catching you sooner. I'm mad at myself for thinking that you would actually-"

"Stop right there," I growled, putting my hand on his mouth. "If you're going to be mad at anyone, be mad at me. I'm the one who snuck out."

"Bella," he sighed, his eyes lightening, "I can't be mad at you. I'm not sure it's even possible."

"You know, if you really want to keep me safe, you would just change me and get it over with," I said casually, leaving him behind as I headed for the pasta aisle.

I could feel his eyes on me as I continued shopping. No doubt he was coming up with his next argument, and I didn't feel up to hearing it. By the time I reached the dairy aisle, I had forgotten that I had said anything.

He put a carton of eggs in the basket. "That's the last reason I would change you," he said with finality.

I paused, my hand still touching a package of bacon. He sounded as if he was actually considering _doing_ it, for once. Should I say anything else, or let him keep thinking?

"Anyway, let's just enjoy the rest of the summer," he continued in an odd voice. "Time enough later to think about that."

"Sounds good to me." _Just don't take too much time._

.

.

.

When I got back home, Charlie met me at the door, taking one of the grocery bags out of my arms. "Heard you took a little detour," he smirked.

I froze, waiting for him to continue. Jacob had been so mad when I had left, I wouldn't put it past him to call Charlie and do something stupid to get Edward back in trouble. What had he told him?

"Yeah," I said, forcing out a laugh. "When I called Jacob earlier, Billy said he wasn't feeling well and I wanted to go check on him."

"Well, that was really sweet of you. Billy called and said you stopped by. But he said you should stay away until Jacob's feeling better. Said it was some contagious fever thing."

"Oh," I said, sighing in relief. "Yeah, he looked awful. Don't worry, I'll stay away."

"He said Jacob wanted you to call him, too. Did you get the apple pies?"

"They're in the car."

Charlie headed out the door eagerly, and I eyed the phone with suspicion as I put the groceries away. I headed upstairs after telling Charlie goodnight, and dialed Jacob's number. I figured it was better to get this over with _before_ Edward came in.

"Hello?"

"Hi."

"Bella! I'm so sorry about that stuff I said when you were leaving! I don't know what came over me!"

I sighed. "It's okay, Jake. And don't worry, I won't bother you again." I moved the phone away from my ear to turn it off, but I could hear Jake yelling even with the phone in my hands.

"Bella! No, don't… I don't want you to stay away. I mean, I do right now, but just until I get this under control, you know? My fever's almost gone now. Just give me a couple of days."

"I don't know. Maybe it's for the best." My window slid open and Edward climbed in silently. "I'll check on you tomorrow, all right?" _Jacob_ , I mouthed to Edward, who frowned.

"Bella, I really didn't mean that stuff I said about Edward. Honest. I think he's okay. And I get that you guys are together. It's just that everyone over here has been pounding it into me that he's the enemy."

"I know, Jake, I know. It sucks."

"I mean, why do we even have to be enemies? Why do I have to be like this? I'm scared, Bella! I don't _want_ this." It sounded like he was beginning to cry, and I looked up helplessly at Edward. "I don't want to lose you," Jacob continued in a clearer voice. "As a friend, I mean. Your auto repair skills are in sad need of improvement."

I laughed, glad to hear the old Jacob, even if it was just for a second. "You got it. When all this blows over, I'm there." I looked up at Edward again, silently challenging him. His face gave nothing away, though, and I sighed. "Feel better, Jake, okay? Just take it easy for now."

"Thanks. I'll talk to you tomorrow."

"Okay, bye." I hung up the phone, shaking my head. "Poor Jake. He just wants to be a regular kid."

"Yes, he actually wants to stay human. Imagine that."

"Hey, I thought we were going to enjoy the rest of the summer and think about that later," I teased.

"And we will," he said softly. He traced my face with his fingers, a sadness in his eyes. Then he smiled. "Why don't we do something with your friends from school tomorrow? You haven't seen them in a while."

"Group dating? I bet Charlie would love that."

"Yes, I was thinking that as well."

Later, as I was drifting off to sleep to the sound of Edward's soft singing, I realized that this was probably one of his attempts to make me realize how much I would be leaving behind if I were to lose my humanity. I was on to him, though. It wasn't going to work. And besides, it seemed like he was starting to waver.

**A/N: I know Jacob may seem a little out of character at the end there, but let me explain. This is all happening to him at a younger age than it did in canon, and he and Bella really aren't best friends like they were in New Moon. And Edward hasn't left her, so there's really no reason for Jacob to get his hopes up about that like he did in the real story. At this point he really does see her as a friend, mostly, and that's why he's letting that go so easily.**

**So, who's ready for a little Mike Newton? One chapter left before things get tough... hang in there!**


	25. Splash

**EPOV**

I sat on the sand, pretending to read in the shade of my car as I watched Bella and her human friends play in the water. We had come to the South End beach on the southernmost tip of Ozette Lake. Bella had wanted to do something indoors so that I wouldn't have to take "sunlight breaks", as she called them, but I had insisted we do something to take advantage of the summer heat. I wanted her to do something with her friends in the sun- something that she wouldn't be able to do if she lost her humanity. Besides, I was still trying to make it up to her for the First Beach thing. But if Bella took a lesson away from this about the joys of being human, it would suit me just fine.

Carlisle's warning echoed in my mind again. I had until the end of summer, and then he was going to officially make his offer to Bella, complete with guilt trip regarding my suicide plan. I kicked at the sand in disgust. I wanted to be angry at him, but I couldn't. He was taking the only option available to him- he had made _that_ perfectly clear. And my ridiculous plan of "saving" Bella from my family was ludicrous- I saw that now. Besides the fact that it wouldn't work, Bella would be miserable. So I was taking the only option available to _me_. The way I saw it, I had seven weeks to convince Bella that losing her humanity wasn't worth it.

There was only one way to do this, with any certainty of success. And I had actually considered it last night, for a few brief seconds. I could try to convince Bella that I didn't love her. I could try to make her think that I had somehow tired of her, that I was moving on. The problem was that I simply couldn't fathom actually _doing_ it. Every time I even tried to imagine what blasphemous words I could say to her, a terrible pain ripped through my chest, and the sheer impossibility of such an act would halt my thoughts before they could descend any further. Besides, how could I ever convince her of such a lie? I had spent the last several months pouring my love out on her, and just a few nights ago, I had given her an even larger glimpse into my heart, telling her too much. She would never believe me. So after a few seconds of unbearable agony, I had given up _that_ awful plan.

I would do everything else in my power, though. I would lay on the guilt about leaving Charlie. I would highlight the benefits of going to college. I would even find some way to get Bella around young mothers and pregnant women, or babies. Anything! Today was just the beginning. I wanted her to see her friends again, to become closer to them, to play with them carelessly in the sunshine, and to think about what it would be like to never do this again.

My plan had backfired, of course. I had been talking to Alice on the phone, instead of in person, when I checked the forecast with her. All she had said was that the beach would be "ninety-eight percent cloudy". She had failed to mention that there would be at least nine little bursts of sunlight peeping through the clouds throughout the day. So every now and then, I had to come up with another excuse about sunburns, or having to answer a text, or whatever I could think of and go sit beside my car like an idiot. Instead of warming up to me like I had planned, Bella's friends were becoming even more convinced of what an oddity I was. And the sun would hit its zenith soon- I wouldn't be able to sit by the car anymore. I would have to sit _inside_ it, or go sit in the woods. I was sure Mike Newton would have fun with _that_ one.

Along with Jessica and Mike, Bella had invited Angela, Ben, Eric and even Tyler and Lauren. I couldn't decide whose thoughts drove me more insane- Mike's or Lauren's. Lauren was a venomous girl, concerned not only with her own appearance but also with making sure that every other girl felt inferior to her in every way. Rosalie was a teddy bear compared to her. I couldn't imagine why Bella had invited her; no doubt she was just trying to be kind, as usual. And Mike's thoughts were par for the course, as far as he went. He and Jessica were currently in another "off" phase of their on/off dating relationship, and he wasn't even trying to hide his admiration of Bella in her bathing suit. Disgusting creature.

I peeked up at the sky, pleased to see that my freedom was about to begin again. As soon as the beach darkened, I jumped up and ran back to the water, tackling Bella gently and dunking her underwater for just a moment. She shrieked and splashed me, and it felt good to laugh along with everyone else. I could even pretend I was human, for a while. I had left my cell phone in the car, but I didn't need Alice to see that I had at least a half hour of solid cloud cover. This was how we had done it before Alice joined the family – by watching the sky. We had always consulted the almanacs, and, later on, the radio's weather reports. But the only way to be truly safe had been to watch the sky, and judge how many minutes we had until it was time to make ourselves scarce. Alice's arrival had brought us a whole new level of freedom, and I couldn't imagine my life without her forecasts- both about the weather and about more serious risks.

Bella's eyes were taking on a mischievous glint now, and I waited to see what she would do. It was always a pleasure to be surprised by Bella- she was the only one who had ever been able to do it. Would she splash me again? Would she say something unexpected? I grinned back, daring her to do whatever she was planning. Finally, she launched herself at me, and I fell backwards, allowing her to shove me underwater.

 _I don't know what it is about him_ , Mike thought sulkily. _Why does she think he's so great?_ As Bella regained her footing, her moved up behind her, intending to tackle her as well. He thought it would be a harmless way to flirt with her, and he was looking forward to wrapping his arms around her when he did it. I glared at him fiercely over Bella's shoulder, and he changed his plan. _Ugh! Cullen is such a freak!_ Instead of tackling her, he shoved a wall of water onto the back of her head, just to show me that he wasn't afraid of me. I resisted the urge to break his jaw, settling instead for a half-hearted splash in his direction.

Until Jacob's unpleasant re-entrance into Bella's life, Mike had always been my nemesis. Not in terms of competition- Bella had never given me any reason to fear _that_. But Mike was the one who always brought out the most inhuman reactions in me. It was always a struggle not to respond to his inappropriate thoughts about Bella, or indulge myself in the injuries I wanted to inflict. In all my years, no other human had tested my self-control in this way.

I groaned when I heard his plan to embarrass me in front of everyone. Maybe I should have splashed a little harder.

"So, Edward," he said loudly. "What's the real reason you keep disappearing? I've never seen anyone so skittish about sunburns before." _It's like he's scared of the sunlight. What a-_

His latest mental insult was lost to me as I suddenly focused on Ben Cheney's mind. _You know, it's weird how he keeps disappearing the minute the sun comes out. And then he comes back the minute it's cloudy again. Now that the sun is at the top of the sky, I'll bet he doesn't sit by the car anymore. I bet he goes into the woods next._

I clenched my teeth, trying to think of a solution to this latest danger. Ben Cheney had one of the most brilliant minds at Forks High, making him the most dangerous in terms of protecting our secret. He had a scientific thought process, and he was eager to see if his hypothesis was correct.

"All right, Mike, I'll tell you, but keep it quiet, okay?" I began quietly, still forming the lie in my mind. Bella turned to me, interested to hear my latest invention. Of course, in my attempt to speak quietly, I had accidentally piqued the interest of everyone present, and they all stopped playing momentarily, drifting closer to hear a rare bit of Cullen gossip. "It's my mom," I admitted sheepishly. "I almost drowned once back when I was six- back when they first adopted me. She gets really worked up when I go swimming anywhere, and sometimes she has these panic attacks. So I check in with her every once in a while, and that keeps her happy."

Ben frowned in disappointment; I saw now that he had been hoping for some sort of rare photophobic disease. Disaster averted.

 _That's so sweet how he looks after his mom!_ Angela thought kindly.

"Yeah… but… we're at a lake," Mike said in annoyance. "How could you possibly drown at a lake?"

"It happened at a lake, back when I was little," I said slowly, making sure his miniature brain followed me. "I was a lot shorter back then."

_Oh. I get it. Mama's boy… why am I not surprised?_

I ignored him, resolving to exit the water while it was still cloudy the next time. Now I really _did_ need to call Esme, to inform her of the latest amendment to our cover story. I felt bad about inventing the panic attacks, but it had seemed important to make the gossip worthwhile. Lauren was thrilled, of course – she could care less about me, but she was eager to share the new gossip about Mrs. Cullen's panic attacks with her mother. I wished I could splash _her_. I wouldn't, though- she and I were merely acquaintances, and it wouldn't be appropriate.

Bella swam toward the beach to take a break, and as she walked out, her hair sent little waves of lake water running down her body, and her suit was clinging to all her curves. As much as I wanted to stare, I averted my eyes to respect her modesty. I knew my Victorian manners were grossly outdated, but they were so deeply ingrained- both from my human upbringing and from Carlisle's example- that I would never think of ogling. It was difficult enough to hide my old-fashioned disapproval at the bikinis that Lauren and Jessica were wearing, and at the shameless way that the boys let their hands touch the girls' bare backs and midsections. I was thankful that Bella had worn a one-piece bathing suit today. If I was honest with myself, I wouldn't have minded if she hadn't, but at least it kept Tyler's eyes trained mostly on the other girls.

I thought again of Bella's reproach from last night. _It's not 1918 anymore._ She was right, of course. I would need to be more careful in how I spoke to her. I still had no intention of letting her get anywhere near the reservation again, but I shouldn't act as though I had any right to order her around. I really _had_ no right to do so. This was the 21st century, and Bella's refusal to obey my wishes was due as much to her cultural placement as it was to her stubborn personality and her affection for the dog. It complicated my responsibility, though. I still needed to protect her, even if she didn't agree with that need. How _would_ I keep her away from Jacob, without setting rules? It would take some delicacy, and no small amount of creativity. Perhaps Carlisle would have some ideas. He had almost a century of experience in terms of keeping an entire family of vampires in line- a task which had always been a delicate balance of authority and tact.

I frowned over at Mike and Eric, who were openly admiring Bella as she stood dripping on the beach, toweling off. Tyler was thinking about challenging me to a swim race up to Baby Island- a tiny dot of land just off the western shore. He was still mad at me for "stealing" Bella from him at Prom, and he thought he had found his chance to finally put me in my place. I was tempted to accept his challenge- I couldn't deny my own juvenile desire to show off in front of Bella. She was looking radiant with the extra color she had gotten yesterday and today, and her hair was still wet, swaying lightly in the breeze and spraying water droplets around her face. I often saw her hair like this after she had showered at night, but it was somehow different in the breeze and daylight, seeing her talk and laugh with Angela, who had also come out of the water. I was struck anew by her beauty, and Tyler's voice was a wordless blaring in my ear as I continued to stare.

"What was that?" I asked dreamily.

Tyler splashed me, effectively snapping me out of my vigil. "I _said_ , do you wanna race to the island?" He pointed to the goal, and I measured the distance with my eyes. It was nearly a mile away, much farther than Tyler was thinking it was. As much as I wanted to accept his challenge, it would take a long time at a human pace, and I would no doubt end up having to rescue him from his own exhaustion.

"That's a little far," I said doubtfully. "How about that fallen tree over there?" I pointed toward the eastern shore.

 _Chicken._ "Okay. Hey Mike, count to three!" He yelled over his shoulder. Mike gave the signal, and I launched myself forward next to Tyler, using the opportunity to kick a huge spray of water right into Mike's face. I grinned as I heard him spluttering, and looked over at Tyler to see how he was coming along. To my surprise, he was already ahead of me and was showing excellent form. I sped up just enough to match his pace, and as the thoughts of Bella's friends turned toward our race, I began to edge past him. I touched the tree half a second before he did, and flipped underwater to head back.

About halfway back to the beach, I heard Bella cheering for me and I was sorely tempted to start swimming at my _real_ speed. Bella had never seen it before, and as I forced myself to keep it slow, I decided that I would bring her back here another day, alone, so that I could show her what swimming was _meant_ to look like. When we had a hundred feet left to the race, I surged forward a little more, beating him by a length. Bella and Angela were clapping and screaming for me, and Tyler was just relieved that I hadn't accepted his original challenge.

I jumped out of the water, grinning down at Bella as I ran up to her. She patted the space on the towel next to her, and I sat down, making her and Angela scream again as I shook my wet hair toward them.

"I didn't know you were such a swimmer, Edward!" Angela said as she scooted away, giving Bella and I more room on the towel.

I shrugged humbly. "Well, after almost drowning when I was little, Esme wanted me to learn how to swim. I really enjoyed it, so I was on a swim team for a while." Bella just rolled her eyes, poking me in the side.

"You could have just let him win, you know," she whispered behind her hand, "but… I'm glad you didn't!" I just smiled, tousling her hair and letting my hand linger on the back of her neck.

"Come back in, you guys!" Jessica yelled from the water. "We need more people for Marco Polo!" Angela got up, and I started to as well, but Bella held me back.

"Sit with me," she ordered, and I happily leaned back onto my hands as she scooted closer. "So, poor Esme," she teased when Angela was far enough away. "First she runs into a tree in her own yard, and now panic attacks?"

"I know. I had to do it, though. Ben was getting a little too observant, so I had to come up with something embarrassing."

She frowned. "Observant? About why you kept getting out of the water?"

"He noticed it was corresponding to the changes in sunlight. I'll have to get out soon while it's still cloudy, to throw him off."

Bella glanced back toward my car, frowning at the disappearing shadows. "You won't have to leave, will you?"

"No. The last time I got out I checked my phone, and Alice promised there would only be two more patches of sunlight today. I'll have to step into the woods next time, but it won't be for more than a minute. The second time won't be for another two hours."

Bella frowned again, chewing on her lip as she looked up at me. What was she thinking about?

"Um, the next time you get out, can I use your phone for a minute? I want to check on Jacob."

I bit my tongue, and kept my face from betraying my disgust. Today had been perfect so far! Why did she have to call him, or even say his name? But I nodded. "Now's as good a time as any," I said, forcing myself to sound casual. "Let's go."

We headed to the car, and after I handed her my phone, I stepped far enough away so that Bella would feel that she had privacy, but close enough that I would still be able to hear everything that Jacob said. I had spent most of the night wondering what they had said to each other yesterday, and it had been pure torture when Bella had murmured Jacob's name _twice_ during the night. Never before had I been so frustrated that I couldn't read her mind. What exactly did she think of him? She hadn't given any real indication that she returned his feelings, but I still felt uneasy. Was she dreaming about him because she was just worried about him, as a friend? Or was it another kind of dream?

I had to admit that my own opinion of Jacob's character was somewhat improved, after all that had happened at my house with him yesterday. Of course, that was tempered now by the knowledge that he had bruised Bella's arm; but I knew it had been accidental, and I certainly wasn't one to talk. I _was_ glad to hear that he was also worried about Bella's safety, and that he had asked her to stay away. Not that Bella's safety was really his concern, but hopefully it would be enough to keep her away from the reservation for a while.

I was disappointed with the phone call; it was only Billy who answered. He assured Bella that Jacob was feeling much better, and that he would have to call her back later, because he was out with Sam. I could only imagine what he was doing with Sam. No doubt it was another indoctrination session. From what I had observed of Sam's demeanor and thoughts, he was an intelligent young man, but he carried a full-blown hatred of our kind. Even while he had negotiated the new treaty with us, he had been forming his plan for "bringing Jacob up" into his heritage, complete with combat training and detailed history lessons regarding each and every time vampires had terrorized the Pacific Northwest. And after Sam had learned about our talents, he had been even more determined to turn Jacob against us.

As Bella ended the call and walked back to me, I struggled to strike a relaxed pose. I would _not_ react badly every time she mentioned his name. I would _not_ make derogatory comments about werewolves. And I would _not_ bark out another command for her to stay away from those filthy, dangerous, uncivilized-

"Whoa. Are you okay?"

Bella was frowning at me, and I realized that my teeth were bared and my hands were clenched at my sides. So much for a relaxed pose. I sighed, forcing my muscles to relax. "I'm fine. How's Jacob?" I asked pleasantly.

She smiled brightly and handed me the phone. "He wasn't there. Billy says he's feeling much better and that he's out with Sam. More werewolf training, I guess."

"I'm sure."

"Hopefully this means he won't phase for a while now."

"You never know," I answered vaguely.

She was biting her lip again, staring out into space. Was she about to say that since Jacob was feeling better, there was no reason to stay away from him? Was she planning another covert visit? I clutched my cell phone tighter, hoping Alice was paying attention. Maybe I should say something to interrupt whatever Bella was convincing herself of.

"Well, I'm glad he's feeling better," I muttered. I _was_ glad he was feeling better. The longer he could hold off his first transmutation, the longer he would be only a danger and a rival, and not an enemy as well. The fewer werewolves, the better.

Bella stepped closer to me, laying her head on my chest. "Thanks," she said quietly. "I know you don't like him, or… what he is. But he is my friend. And I know you're trying to be civil, even though it's not coming easily. So, thank you."

My anger melted in the face of her generosity, and I wrapped my arms around her, breathing in her calming scent. Maybe I had been reading too much into Bella's friendship with Jacob. She was just being herself with him- generous to a fault and selfless in her concern for his well-being. Of course she had wanted to go check on her friend yesterday. It was just the kind of thing she did, and I loved that about her, even though I didn't like the recipient of her affections, or the fact that she had gone to see him behind my back.

I laid my nose right on her hair, taking another deep breath. As long as I had Bella safe in my arms, nothing else mattered. Not werewolves, or suspicious fathers, or even a family who conspired against me. For just a moment, I let myself pretend that it would be all right to make Bella like me. It might happen anyway, no matter how hard I fought for her humanity. So just for right now, just for this moment, I would pretend that there was no battle to be fought. There were no enemies, and no decisions. I tightened my grip on her shoulders, and closed my eyes, smiling.

A tranquil peace overshadowed me, and I felt my cold heart shudder as my love for Isabella Swan grew yet again, and I soared higher than I ever had before.

* * *

**A/N: Hope you enjoyed this relatively carefree chapter. I thought it would be nice to have some fun and harmless Edward-mood-swings before things got tough, which they will in the next chapter. Stay tuned!**


	26. Discovery

**Charlie's POV**

I heaved a sigh as I pushed aside yet another pile of reports. I still hadn't caught up on my paperwork from the days I had missed last week, and my desk was starting to look like somebody had emptied a trash can right on top of it. I eyed my computer, innocently perched on the very corner of the desk.

"You're no help," I accused aloud. It's not that I didn't know how to use the thing. It's just that I had never gotten around to getting my software set up. The state had paid for all these fancy programs that allowed me to access police databases and traffic cameras and all that stuff. But what good was that kind of thing out here in Forks? If I tried setting up a traffic camera, I'd probably get run out of town. Still, it might be nice to have less papers everywhere. If I could just get my junk organized, maybe I could use the computer for something other than collecting dust. I usually checked my email a couple times a week- hunting ordinance updates, missing person alerts, that sort of thing- but that was pretty much it so far.

The phone rang, and I cussed as I accidentally sent a stack of papers flying as I reached for the receiver.

"Forks Police Department, Chief Swan."

"Hey, Dad."

I smiled. I loved it when she called me at work, although there usually wasn't much to say. "Hey, kid! You sound weird. Everything okay?"

"Yeah, I'm just tired out. We had a great time at the lake, though. You ever been there?"

"You kidding? The fishing is great there. So, what'd you kids do?"

"We just swam and stuff, and after lunch we played volleyball and swam some more. I'm _so_ tired."

"Your leg okay?"

"Yeah. So, do you want spaghetti or fish tonight?"

I shook my head. I loved that Bella cooked for me- let's face it, I had given up on _that_ sport a long time ago. But she sounded like she was about to fall asleep on the phone, and I wasn't a slave driver or anything. "Aw, Bells, don't worry about it. I've got a pile of paperwork here and I don't even know when I'll get done. Just relax and I'll get something on the way home."

"I don't know…"

"No, I insist. Teenagers are supposed to do this stuff in the summer- play with friends and wear themselves out in the sun. Take the night off, kid. You deserve it."

"Okay. Just promise me you'll get something _slightly_ healthy?"

I held up two fingers in the air. "Scout's honor. I promise to eat something green tonight."

"Good. Love you, Dad. I'll see you whenever you get in."

"Bye, sweetheart."

I smiled as I hung up the phone. I was proud of her today- going out with her school friends was just what she needed. It seemed like she and Edward had been cooling off a bit during the last couple days, and even though I knew he had gone on the lake trip, at least they had met up with the other kids. It was healthy for her to be around someone other than the Cullens once in a while.

I grimaced. The _Cullens_. The so-perfect-it's-creepy Cullens. I still couldn't believe I had made all those calls the other day! Besides being illegal, it had been unfair. What had Carlisle ever done to deserve me checking up on him and his kids? I just hoped he never found out about the calls. Yeah, Dr. Cullen, just thought I'd check to make sure you weren't an illegal immigrant, and that your son hadn't been a crack baby. Ugh.

I opened my lowest drawer, taking out the folder that I had used to make the calls. I still couldn't believe Mark had gotten all this stuff together. This folder would be the first thing to go in my clean-up-the-desk project, and I might as well start this afternoon. I balanced the folder on top of the mess, staring at it again as I remembered the calls I had made the other day. Everything I had found had been perfect, of course. Carlisle was a star physician, the kids were all star students, everyone had a perfect driving record- well, except Esme's little tree incident last week. But that hadn't been a big deal, apparently.

I looked at the chair in front of my desk, remembering the horrified look on Edward's face when he had gotten the call about the accident. Poor kid. His sister could have told him it was just a fender bender! Lucky for him the call had come right when I was about to get him on the lie detector. The timing had been perfect for him- so perfect it was creepy. There was that knot in my stomach again. Why did everything always work out for them so perfectly? If I didn't know better, I'd say he planned for that call to come at just the right moment to get away from me.

I chuckled to myself. Sure, Charlie. It's all a conspiracy, and I was Santa Claus. I definitely needed to throw that folder out before I did anything else stupid.

.

.

.

By five o'clock, my stomach was grumbling so loud I couldn't think anymore. I had only managed to get half the mess filed away or thrown out, and now I was too hungry to do anything useful. That salisbury steak wasn't sounding too bad right about now. I'd get them to throw on a piece of lettuce, just to keep my promise to Bella. Still, I didn't look forward to sitting alone at the diner tonight. I had really gotten used to eating with Bella every night, and I was becoming downright conversational. I decided to call Billy and see if he wanted to meet me over at the diner.

"Hey Billy!" I said, jamming the phone into my shoulder as I continued to wade through the papers.

"Charlie! What's cookin'?"

"Nothing, and that's my problem. I gave Chef Bella the night off, so I'm lonely and hungry now. You wanna get together at the diner?"

"Sure. I haven't had anything good in a couple of days, what with Jacob being sick and all."

"Oh yeah, I forgot. How's he doing now?"

"Much better. I'll bring him along for dinner."

"I thought it was some bad contagious thing?"

"Nah, guess I was wrong. His fever's already gone and he's getting stir crazy, anyway. You want us to swing by the station?"

"Sure. I'm still buried in paperwork for now, though. Wanna come in a half hour?"

"Okay, bye."

I sighed in frustration. Just another half hour, and I could get away from this stupid desk.

.

.

.

"Hey, Charlie!" a familiar voice called from the reception area. "Ready when you are!"

"Yo, Billy! Come on in." I opened my door, and Billy wheeled in, followed by Jacob. "Glad to hear you're feeling better, kid," I said, poking his arm. It was as hard as a rock, and he seemed even beefier than when I had seen him a few nights ago. "In fact, you look better than ever! Did you grow another inch while you were sick?" Jacob just frowned and glanced down at his father.

Billy laughed. "These kids. You turn around for a second, and they get bigger."

"Well, it's a good thing we're not eating any real food tonight, or he'd bust his shoes. I know what you mean, though. Seems like yesterday Bella was on her tricycle, and _now_ look at her."

Jacob blushed and I winked at him, making him blush even more. It seemed like he and my daughter were starting to really get along. Not bad at all. Jacob was just the sort of guy she needed- nice and normal. Maybe not perfect in the grades department, but then who likes perfect, pale, anorexic boyfriends? Not me.

"Gimme a few minutes, you guys. I'm still cleaning off my desk." I waved my hand over toward my project.

Jacob gave a low whistle. "Haven't you ever heard of a computer, Charlie?"

"Hey. I _have_ a computer. It's right there, see?"

"Leave him alone, Jacob," Billy said, chuckling. "You know he's scared of technology."

"I am not! If fact, as soon as I get this desk under control, I'm going to use one of those new software programs to start doing all this stuff electronically. This office is going to be a shining pinnacle of technological wonder."

Billy snickered, shaking his head. "Well, we'll hang out in the waiting room while you finish up. Come on, Jacob." He wheeled back out, and Jacob closed the door behind them, leaving me alone with the dreaded desk.

I reached down and took another swig of my coffee, thumbing through the papers on the stack nearest me. I'd show them! This was all going to be in a database by the end of the week. I'd even learn how to use that scanner on Doris' desk.

I sat down, vowing to do at least five more minutes of cleanup before I headed out with the guys. I picked up the Cullen folder again, and carried it over to the shredder. This was one bunch of papers I didn't need to keep- and the one that could actually get me in trouble if anyone found it. I shuddered at the thought of Bella stopping by the office to see me, and finding _this_. Yep, it was definitely shredding time.

I put in the first handful of papers, and the shredder whirred to life hungrily. But as I reached down and held the second bunch out toward the machine, I paused. The paper on top of this bunch was Emmett Cullen's transcript from their previous school in Alaska, where he had gone through his sophomore year. I stood back up, looking over the transcript- I hadn't notice this paper the other day. _Of course he had perfect grades_ , I thought in disgust.

I had run into Emmett a few times since they had lived here, and he was definitely the one Cullen I wouldn't have expected to see perfect grades from. It wasn't that he had ever been crude, or disrespectful, exactly. He just seemed like the kind of guy who would be a class clown, more brawn than brains. I had been truly surprised to hear that he had plans to attend college this fall. I looked back at the transcript again. Chemistry, A plus. Japanese, A plus. Algebra II, A plus. I got that suspicious knot in my stomach again, the one where I felt like I was missing something.

Maybe it wouldn't hurt to make just one more call. Emmett's grades would check out, of course, and then I could shred the whole folder, and never think about it again. Besides, what was the fun of being a small town Police Chief if you didn't get paranoid every now and then? I headed back over to my desk, taking another sip of my coffee as I tossed the papers down. I sat and slammed down my mug in determination- but I had been too dramatic, and a big slosh of coffee spilled all over the transcript. I cussed and shook the paper over the trash can, letting the coffee drip off as I picked up the phone with my other hand. But when I looked back at the transcript, I realized the coffee had messed up the part of the paper with the school's phone number. I couldn't remember the number offhand; and besides, it had had some extra extension to reach the records person.

Dadblame it! I glanced at the clock. Five thirty; Forks High would already be closed and I wouldn't be able to get the number from them today. Guess I'd just have to do it tomorrow. See, this was one of those times I wish I was a computer whiz. I could just type in the name of the school and get the number myself. What was it the kids called it? Googling? It couldn't be that hard.

I turned on the computer, waiting impatiently as it beeped and whirred at me. Finally it let me click on the blue "e" and the Google homepage came up. I typed in "Fairbanks High School" and smiled when a phone number and address popped up. Easy!

I dialed the number, wondering if the school would even be open. What was the time difference in Alaska again?

"Fairbanks High School, main office. How may I help you?"

"Hello, Ma'am. This is Charles Swan… I'm… " Suddenly I felt like an idiot. Policeman didn't call to check up on kids' grades, not even when they had a valid search warrant. "I'm a teacher over at our local high school here in Forks, Washington, and I was just checking some details on one of our student's transcripts. He was at your school a couple of years ago."

"I'm sure I can help you out. Now what was the student's name?"

"Emmett Cullen. He would have been a sophomore in the 2002-2003 school year."

"Cullen? We've never had a student by that last name before."

I frowned. How could anyone not remember the Cullens? "He was one of three siblings- they would have all attended together. The other two were Edward and Alice."

"None of that rings a bell. I know every student that comes through these doors, Mr. Swan. We're a pretty small school. And I certainly would have remembered such a big family if they were here so recently."

My stomach twisted again, and I looked back at the transcript. Could I have called the wrong school? "Well, I have his student ID number. Would that help?"

"I suppose, although I'm quite sure we've never had an Emmett Cullen. What's the number?"

"8029857."

I heard her typing, and I tapped nervously on the desk, feeling stupider every minute. How had I messed this up? I had obviously called the wrong school- I couldn't even Google right. Billy would have a field day if he found out about this!

"Oh! There _is_ an Emmett Cullen under that number. That's odd. What did you say the other siblings' names were?"

I told her again, and she was equally surprised to find that they all had transcripts in the computer system. "I don't understand it," she said, sounding annoyed. "I don't know where these records came from, but there is no way I've forgotten a whole family of students! I would have been the one to enter this information, and I certainly never created this file. And here's something even stranger- every one of these files is missing the student's picture. It's like they all missed picture day, both years that they were here. I don't know what to tell you, Mr. Swan."

I thanked her and hung up. I just sat still for a few moments, rubbing my mustache. What could have happened up in Alaska? I obviously had the right school, but the lady had seemed certain that the Cullens had never been there. I looked down at my now-empty mug. Was the number that I had spilled coffee on the same number that I had ended up calling? Or was there something fishy going on?

I crumpled the half-destroyed paper and tossed it in the trash. Now the paper on top was the list of Carlisle's employment references, which I had used the other day to call the hospital in Fairbanks. I had scribbled "Scott Fallston , HR dept" next to the number I had called. I idly wondered if there was something screwy with that phone number, too. Well, only one way to find out. I typed the hospital's name into Google, and frowned when I saw a number that didn't match the one I had called the other day. I dialed the new one, unsure what to expect. After some wrangling with the phone menu, I finally reached Human Resources.

"Fairbanks Memorial Hospital, Human Resources. This is Sherry White."

"Hi Sherry, I'm trying to reach Scott. Is he in today?"

"Who?"

"Scott Fallston. I just spoke with him a couple days ago."

"I'm sorry, sir, there's no one working here by that name."

My stomach twisted harder this time, and the stack of paper rattled as my fist tightened on them. "That's okay, maybe you can help me. This is Charles Swan, Chief of Police in Forks, Washington. I was calling regarding one of your former employees, Dr. Carlisle Cullen. He was there up until two years ago."

There was a pause. "I don't recall us having a doctor by that name. Dr. Cullen, you said?"

"Yeah. C-U-L-L-E-N."

"Okay, I'll check, but I'm pretty sure I've never heard that name before." I waited while she did some typing. "Oh!" she said in obvious surprise. "We do have a record for him, after all. He must have just slipped my mind. Although I don't see how. I'm pretty familiar with our staff. Hmmm… this is odd."

"What?"

"I don't have an employee picture for him. We have pictures for _all_ our employees. Anyway, what information did you need?"

"Never mind," I said coldly and hung up, fuming.

Something was definitely wrong here. I flipped through the folder, and came to the page with the contact information for Edward's adoption agency. My hand hovered on the page, and a cold feeling came over me. Had I called the wrong number for this one, too? I searched online for the agency, gritting my teeth when an unfamiliar number appeared yet again. I called it, and got the same response as before: they had never heard of the employee I had just talked to the other day. The lady helping me today was quite befuddled; she had been working at the agency for twenty years, and had no memory of any child named Edward Masen, and no memory of the Cullen family. I asked her to check the computer anyway. And, just like the others, she was surprised to find that there _was_ a file on Edward Masen's adoption by the Cullens. There was a picture of the five-year-old Edward, but she couldn't find any pictures of the adopting parents. Surprise, surprise. She was flustered, wondering how she could have forgotten an entire case. She was even more flustered when she found her own name listed as the case manager for Edward's adoption. "I don't understand it! I never forget a child. I don't know what to say," she said in apology.

I slammed the phone down, getting angry now. My instincts had been right all along! The Cullen family's perfection wasn't all it was cracked up to be. There was something seriously wrong here, but I couldn't figure out what it _was_. There was obviously some kind of identity theft going on, but who had answered the bogus numbers when I had made the calls the other day? How come nobody I called today had heard of the Cullens, but their computers had? How come everybody's pictures were missing? Was Carlisle even a real doctor? I flipped back to his reference page from the hospital, and my finger rested on the name of the medical school he had attended. But instead of using the number and extension provided, I got the number off the internet, and called it. Same problem again: the person who answered had no memory of Carlisle, but was surprised to find that they did have a file on his time there. And yet again, no picture was available.

I leaned back in my chair, rubbing my forehead as a hundred possibilities flew through my mind. Maybe Carlisle was part of some kind of drug cartel. Maybe he worked for the government…. Or some _other_ government! And what about the kids? I ground my teeth. What was the real reason Carlisle had adopted so many kids? What had they been doing back in Alaska, if they had ever been there at all?

There was a knock on the door, and Billy poked his face in. "Come on, Charlie, I'm as hungry as a- what's the matter?"

I just stared at my best friend. He had been trying to tell me for over two years that I shouldn't trust the Cullens. He had always been vague, never quite giving me any actual leads, and so I had never taken him seriously. I had let them waltz into my daughter's life, and-

I froze, and Billy said something, but I couldn't hear him. All I could think about was my little girl- and how I had let her spend all this time with _criminals_. I wasn't sure what kind of criminals, yet, but it was clear that I had stumbled onto something big. Something ugly.

"Billy," I said slowly, "I'm going to ask you something, and you _better_ be honest with me, or so help me-"

"Whoa! Calm down, buddy. I'll tell you anything you want to know. What's wrong?"

"I've been- ah- unofficially investigating the Cullen family, and I'm turning up some pretty weird stuff. Like how none of their previous schools or employers have ever heard of them, and nobody ever seems to have a picture of them. And I _know_ that you know something. So cough it up."

Billy had suddenly become very interested in his fingernails, and he leaned back in his wheelchair thoughtfully. "Well... well now. I'm not sure what to say."

I stood up, my chair flying back into the wall as I yelled at him, my face growing hot. "This is my daughter we're talking about here, Billy! Tell me everything you know about the Cullens, now!"

Jacob suddenly appeared behind his father. "What's going on in here?" He looked back and forth between his father and myself, frowning. "I thought I heard you say the _Cullens_."

"What do you know about them, Jacob? Anything would be helpful, since your _father_ seems to have suddenly lost his voice." I glared down at my friend expectantly, but he remained silent.

"Well, I…" He looked down again at his father, who was shaking his head slightly. He straightened up to his full height, and I noticed again how much he had grown. "I know the Cullens pretty well," he said confidently. "And I think they're a nice family. And even that one Bella is dating seems like a good guy."

"Come on, Jacob. I know you don't like Edward. Are you seriously going to tell me that your dad has never told you anything about the Cullens?"

Jacob's jaw was working, and he exchanged another nervous glance with his father. "Uh…"

"Jacob, go sit down and wait for me in there," Billy said sternly, pointing back toward the reception area.

Jacob didn't move, and Billy jerked his head toward the door. " _Now_ , Jacob. And shut the door behind you." Jacob looked once more at both of us in turn, and stalked out of the room, slamming the door.

"So, what? You're really not going to tell me anything?" I asked Billy angrily. "My daughter is over there all the time, and you're really not going to help me?"

Billy shifted his weight in the wheelchair. "It's not that I don't want to help you, Charlie," he said uncomfortably. "It's just that…"

"That what? And don't give me that crap about you and the elders having a bad _feeling_ about them."

"But that's all it is, Charlie, I swear. We Quileutes, we're…" he looked around the room, as if he was searching for inspiration. "We're very spiritual, you know? We're sensitive to these things. Sometimes we can just tell when something's not right, even though we can't put our finger on it. I didn't want to explain this before because I thought you would laugh at me. I know you like cold, hard facts, but I can't give you any."

I looked him in the eyes, making sure he held my gaze. "Are you telling me that you _really_ don't know anything?"

He gripped the handrests of his chair, and locked his jaw. "I really don't know anything," he said through his teeth. He looked like he was trying to hold the wheelchair together, like it might explode any second. "But if I were you…" he added in a whisper, leaning forward, "I'd trust your gut. If you think something's not right, don't let it go." He looked at me intently, as if he was trying to tell me something.

"Okay… that's not exactly helpful, but um, thanks." I scratched my head. Did Billy really not know anything, or was he hiding something, too? And what about Jacob? There was that stomach pain again. "So… give me a few more minutes, okay?" Billy shrugged and rolled back out.

"Take all the time you need," he said encouragingly as he closed the door.

I propped my elbows on my desk, leaning my face in my hands. What was I supposed to do with all this? I had to get to the bottom of it, but I knew I was already in over my head. But before I called the State Police in, I needed to get all the information I could. I sat up straighter, scooting toward the computer again. Might as well put the thing to good use again. I typed in "Cullen", frowning at the thousands of results that popped up. Apparently, it was a common name. I tried again, with "Edward Cullen". Still, too many results. Now I tried "Edward Cullen Alaska".

My eyes drifted over the results- there were much less now, and the first result caught my eye.

It was one of those MySpace pages that kids like to set up. Bella had never been interested in doing much online, although that might have been due to the old computer I had put in her room. I clicked on the link, and a photograph came up.

It was nothing interesting- just a couple of teenage girls hugging each other in their graduation gowns and grinning. One of the girls was pointing to her diploma. There was "Posted yesterday" and a caption underneath the picture:

_Blast from the past, East Anchorage class of 1980! I just found this picture in one of my old albums. Can you believe what we did to our hair back then?_

I looked again at the girls in the picture- I noticed now that their hairstyles were nothing like I had seen for several years. One of the girls' hair was teased into a puffy cloud, and the other one looked like she had dumped a can of hairspray right on her bangs. They both had huge neon green earrings, and their eye makeup was hideous. I was about to close the website, but I was curious why this picture had come up for the "Edward Cullen Alaska" search. I scrolled down, glancing at the comments that the girl's "friends" had made about the picture.

_OMG Sarah would you please burn this one? I can't believe my eye makeup!_

_I remember that day. You girls were so excited! Can't believe you're both moms now. Love you both!_

_Hey guys is that Edward Cullen back there? I wonder what he's up to these days. I had SUCH a crush on him in high school. Bet he's bald and/or gray now, though. The cute ones always go bald the earliest LOL!_

As soon as I read the final comment, which had today's date on it, I scrolled quickly back up to the picture. Sure enough, there in the background behind the girls, was Edward. He was dressed in the same cap and gown as the girls, and he was looking away from the camera, but there was no mistaking it: it was definitely him. But how could it be? This picture had been taken twenty-five years ago. There was even a bright orange time stamp on the picture: 06/05/80.

Could it be some kind of cousin, with the exact same name? But it looked _exactly_ like him. He even had that stupid smirk on his face- the one I always wanted to smack off. He was looking down at another girl, who was much shorter than he was. I couldn't see her face, but my breath caught in my throat as I realized how much she reminded me of Edward's sister Alice. The same short, spiky black hair- it was really all I had to go on, but now that I had made the connection, it seemed like it had to be her.

But it wasn't possible! If that was really Edward and Alice in the picture, they should be forty-three years old by now! I was getting a headache, but I was on a roll now. I went back to the search engine page and easily found the contact information for East Anchorage High School. I dialed the number with shaking fingers. What would I find out this time?

When the school secretary answered, I repeated my usual introduction and asked if she remembered a family of Cullens graduating back in 1979 and 1980.

"Oh! Yes, I remember the Cullens!" she said pleasantly. "What a unique family. That young doctor and his wife were such angels to take in all those kids, and they were such good students!"

"Yes, perfect students, I imagine," I said as I wiped my sweating forehead with a napkin. Now my stomach just felt sick. I finally find someone who actually remembered them- only to find that that memory was twenty-five years too early. "I'm particularly interested in Edward Cullen," I said nervously.

"Yes, Edward was one of the younger ones wasn't he? With the messy, bronze-colored hair? Tall and handsome?"

"That's the one," I growled through my teeth. "Can you send me any information you have on him? Grades, address, anything?"

"Hold on, I'll look him up. We didn't have computers back then, so I'll need to check in the filing cabinet." I heard the rustle of papers. "My goodness, Edward must be in his forties by now. How is he?"

"He's in a bit of trouble," I ground out. Trouble, indeed. I was going to wring his scrawny neck, if I didn't have a heart attack first. How was any of this happening?

"Well, I would be surprised. He was such a perfect student, and so well-mannered!" she gushed.

"So perfect he was creepy, right?"

She laughed. "I don't know if I would put it that way. I wasn't much older than the students back then, and I admit I had quite the crush on him. And his father- the doctor- was quite a looker himself. Like a blonde movie star. Well, that's odd… the file seems to be missing. Hold on."

Of course the file was missing. Why wouldn't it be?

"Well, I don't understand it!" she said a moment later. "I can't find _any_ of the Cullen kids' files."

"Try looking under Hale."

"Why?"

"That's the last name of two of the siblings."

"No, it wasn't. I distinctly remember thinking how funny it was to have to write "Cullen" five times in a row every time they were absent- which was quite a lot. Never seemed to hurt their grades, of course."

"Well, it was a long time ago. Maybe the files got thrown away."

"Absolutely not! My files are always in perfect order, Chief… what did you say your name was?"

"Swan. Thank you for your help." I hung up, resisting the urge to throw the phone across the room.

I had seen enough. I had been angry before, when I had found the identity problems. I had been ready to call Carlisle and tell him to get his butt over to the station to do some explaining. But now I was just plain confused, and scared. What was up with Edward being eighteen back in 1980? This was bigger than just identity fraud. Was Carlisle some kind of cloning scientist? Or could he have done plastic surgery on his kids to fake their ages? But that didn't make sense- the secretary I had just talked to placed Carlisle himself at the same age he was now, only that should have placed him well into his fifties by now. And there was no _way_ Carlisle was in his fifties. This was turning into some kind of science fiction nightmare. I was _definitely_ in over my head now.

I picked up the phone, and called the State Police down in Seattle. I didn't tell them everything I had found- after all, most of my evidence had been obtained illegally. I left out the weird part about the old photo, but the identity theft issue perked them right up, especially when they heard that it involved a doctor. They agreed to come up the next morning- they promised three squad cars and a detective- and look through everything, and make any necessary arrests. I hung the phone up and sat staring at the wall, clutching my stomach.

What had I gotten myself into?

Well, one thing was certain. I had lost my appetite, and I needed to go straight home- for all I knew, Edward was there with my daughter. Just the thought of her spending another minute with him made me want to scream. I walked out to the reception area, where Billy and Jacob seemed to be in the middle of a heated argument. "I'm sorry, but something's come up," I said absently. "You guys go ahead without me, okay?"

Billy eyed me with interest, but I wasn't about to tell _him_ anything. I was still mad at him for not helping me- I still thought he might be hiding something. And Jacob was acting weird too, like he was trying to convince his dad of something. Well, I'd deal with them later.

I stormed out of the station and got in the cruiser. I had to talk to Bella. It might break her heart, but I'd be damned if I ever let Edward Cullen see my daughter again.

.

.

.

I called Bella's name anxiously when I walked into the house, but there was no answer. Fear rose up in my throat; what if she was with the Cullens? I told myself I was being silly; they had never done anything to her before. But now that I knew they were up to something, I felt uneasy at the thought of her being alone with them.

I rushed up the stairs, and peeked into Bella's room. I sighed with relief; she was fast asleep. She was safe, and I forced myself to breathe normally again.

_Okay, Charlie. Calm down. She's safe, and everything's all right. The State Police will sort this out. By this time tomorrow, the Cullens will be out of your hair forever._

I started to head down the stairs, but stopped in the upstairs bathroom to wash my face- I had been sweating bullets in my worry. I had a headache, too. I didn't like mysteries, and the facts I had put together today just weren't jiving.

I opened the medicine cabinet in search of some Tylenol. It was a rare day that I took anything at all, and I hadn't even looked in here since Bella had moved in with me. I frowned at all the girly stuff that had taken over the medicine cabinet- nail polish, purple deodorant and stuff like that. I finally found the Tylenol and tossed a couple into my mouth, swallowing them without water. As I put the bottle away, I accidentally knocked the purple deodorant down into the sink. Why did girls have to have so much bathroom stuff, anyway? Back when Renee had lived here, it was the same story.

When I went to replace the deodorant to its spot, I noticed three little cylinders of what looked like makeup. It looked like they had been hiding behind the deodorant. In any other girl's bathroom, I would have expected a million makeup bottles. But considering that this was Bella's stuff, it seemed like there were three too many. I knew she never used makeup- she had told me once that she hated the stuff. I looked closer- there were two smaller cylinders, that had words scribbled on top, and one larger one, without words on top. I picked up the two little ones, finding the word "arm" on one and the word "face" on the other. They were nearly empty, while the third, larger container was almost full. They were all slightly different shades of skin tone.

Arm and face. Now why did that ring a bell? Arm and face…

The makeup containers snapped in my hands. Arm and face! The burn and the bruise that Edward's hand had made, that day when they went hiking! Had she been covering them up? But why would she do that? I had known about them- there had been nothing to hide. And besides, the injuries had healed pretty quickly.

Or had they? Had she covered them up so that I would _think_ they had healed?

Now I was really getting paranoid. Were the injuries still there, without my knowledge? This was the perfect opportunity to check- Bella was so deeply asleep she had been snoring a little when I had checked on her a minute ago. I crept back into her room and slowly nudged the covers aside.

She was laying on her left side, and I nearly bit my lip clean off when I saw several ugly bruises just below her right elbow. There were four little ones, and a slightly larger one on the other side of her arm: a classic handprint bruise. I remembered back to last week, when I had thought Edward had been abusing her, and I distinctly remembered that the handprint had _not_ had the classic pattern of a grabbing injury. The hiking scenario that Bella had given me had explained the unusual arrangement of the fingers. Come to think of it, wasn't the handprint _above_ her elbow before? I glanced up a few inches, to the spot I remembered examining before. That handprint was still there, too- although there was no redness, just peeling skin like a sunburn.

A burn?

I glanced up at her neck, and found the same peeling skin. So they had both been burns, after all. And Bella had been hiding them both from me.

Why?

I glanced down again to the new handprint, the one that really was a bruise. It looked like someone had grabbed her arm as hard as they could. I hissed as the truth dawned on me. The hiking story was obviously fake, since the original handprint above her elbow was really a burn. It didn't matter _how_ it was a burn- which didn't make any sense- all I could think about was that I had been right all along.

Bella finally stirred in her sleep. My eyes jerked up to hers automatically, and I found something else: a brand new bruise all around her nose and across part of her left cheek. Her nose itself was swollen.

I backed out of the room, shaking my head in disbelief. Edward really _was_ abusing her, and she had been hiding it from me all along! I ran back into the bathroom, barely making it in time to vomit into the toilet. He had been abusing her, and it had obviously just happened again...today!

What kind of father _was_ I?! I had known the truth last week, and I had let it slip through my fingers. Why on earth was Bella protecting Edward? What kind of sick hold did he _have_ on my daughter? And did it have anything to do with the weird age issue? Did Carlisle know about this?

I gasped as the next thought hit me. Carlisle! He had been the one to get me off track when I had asked him about Bella's injuries in Phoenix. What if he knew about this? What if _he_ was the one hurting her?! What if I was also right about Bella's injuries back in March? Who _were_ these people? My original theories about benign identity theft twisted in more malicious possibilities- though nothing I came up with could fit all the facts.

My breath was coming in short gasps now, and I turned on the water with a shaking hand, splashing my face. I ran back downstairs, and I called the State Police again, begging them to come right away instead of waiting until tomorrow. They promised to add two more state troopers to their envoy tomorrow, but they refused to rush up today, saying that my situation didn't seem to be an emergency. I wanted to scream at them. Not an emergency! I didn't want to disclose all my evidence yet –again, most of it had been illegally obtained. I didn't care what happened to me anymore, but if I told them too much weirdness, they wouldn't come at all. And besides, I didn't want to bring Bella into this if I could get them arrested without having to involve her.

I reluctantly agreed again to their plan to visit tomorrow morning, and hung up angrily.

It was obvious that they thought I was nuts. I could just imagine them, sitting in their fancy office down in Seattle, sharing a laugh over the small town cop who thought he had uncovered the scandal of the year.

Well, I was just glad they were coming tomorrow. Illegal or not, I would show them what I had found. I would probably lose my job over this, but Bella was all that mattered. She was everything to me. She was my whole world.


	27. Visions and Decisions

**EPOV**

Once we had gotten past the unpleasantness of calling Jacob, our day at the Lake continued as planned. Everyone had packed their own lunches, and I had brought a thermos of "Esme's homemade chicken soup" and a can of soda- both opaque containers, which made my charade quite easy. In fact, I found myself wondering why my siblings and I had never thought of it before. I sipped at the soda can now and then, and kept the thermos close to my mouth as I used the spoon. Of course, Mike was thinking what a loser I was to let my mom pack me a hot lunch, but even his idiotic mental ramblings couldn't take away my cheerful mood. Bella was having a great time, and I basked in her happiness.

After the final little burst of sunshine, I was able to relax completely into spending a human day with Bella and her friends. After lunch, Tyler suggested a game of beach volleyball, and Bella and I exchanged a smile, thinking of Emmett's latest invention. This volleyball was real, however, and Bella got hurt more than once. Her leg was still a bit weak from its time in the cast, and she stumbled and fell not long after we started. I tried to get her to sit out for a while, but as usual, my protectiveness only made her more stubborn, and she refused to rest. Later on, when it was Mike's turn to serve, he sent the ball straight toward Bella, thinking she would like to be singled out. But she completely missed the hit, and the ball went straight into her face. The air was suddenly filled with the fragrance of Bella's delectable blood, and I exhaled quickly, holding my breath as I ran to help her. Venom filled my mouth even as I ran toward the scent, but my body wasn't reacting at all. I wasn't going to take any chances by breathing, but I knew I wouldn't hurt her. Bella had had a few minor injuries around me in the past two months, and it was easier every time.

"I'b fide" she muttered as she pushed me away, earning a laugh from everyone except me. The nosebleed was actually quite minor, and I was able to breathe again after just two minutes. But after I had assured myself that she was all right, I turned to Mike with a growl rumbling in my throat. Why had he deliberately thrown the ball at her face? He knew what a terrible athlete she was. I knew he hadn't intended to hurt her, but the monster was still clamoring inside my brain, having smelled Bella's spilled blood. He was determined to have some kind of satisfaction. I took just one step toward Mike, my right hand a ready fist.

"Edward!" Bella whispered loudly, when she saw what I was about to do. "Stop it!"

I grinned sheepishly and returned to where she was sitting on the beach, still holding a tissue to her face. The sight of Bella's smile was a soothing drug. I was calming down now, and Mike was safe again. Bella just leaned into my shoulder, laughing around her tissue. "Can't I just make him bleed a _little_?" I teased.

"Seriously, are you okay? With the blood?" she whispered.

"I'm fine. It doesn't affect me like it used to," I answered, wrapping my right arm around her. "It's been easier, ever since Phoenix."

She frowned, leaning back to look at me. "I would have thought the opposite," she said.

"No. I came so close to losing you that day, and even though I… did what I did to save you, it made the possibility of ever hurting you even more unthinkable. I can't even conceive of it anymore."

She just smiled and leaned back onto my shoulder.

"Do you have any idea how precious you are to me, Bella?" I whispered in her ear. Instead of answering, she dug deeper into my shoulder, and we sat silently for as the others began swimming.

We joined them after a while, and we spent the next three hours having good, old-fashioned fun. By mid-afternoon, every human was exhausted, and I was careful to start drooping, as well. We all said goodbye and I drove Bella back to her house.

"I'm going to get a shower," she slurred as we reached the second floor. She had fallen asleep in the car and I had already had to catch her once on the stairs.

"And then you're taking a nap," I insisted. From her silent nod, I knew she was truly worn out. "I'll head back home for my own shower. I have a little work to do, anyway, while you take your nap."

"What?"

"I have to fix the front door. I accidentally broke it… again."

She giggled drunkenly, and I kissed her on the forehead. "I'll tell you the story sometime," I promised.

.

.

.

Emmett decided to make a nuisance of himself, and stood over me the entire time as I repaired the door frame.

"Missed a spot, Eddie," he said for the thirteenth time. I glared up at him, and flicked paint onto his smirking face. He snarled with mock anger, and crouched to attack.

"Emmett Cullen, don't you dare!" Esme called from across the room. Emmett caught himself in mid-pounce and sighed in disappointment.

"Backyard, after I'm done," I mouthed to him as soon as Esme turned her back. He nodded slightly, cracking his knuckles. I grinned in anticipation as I turned back to my painting. I was looking forward to repaying him for his victory on Monday.

Our family were all gathered in the living room, engaged in various pastimes. Esme was looking through an architectural journal, taking notes while Carlisle read beside her. He occasionally read some passage aloud to Jasper- it was a book on sixteenth century Buddhist philosophy- and they would debate for a while, eventually returning to silence. Rosalie was giving herself some sort of manicure, and Alice was stretched out on the rug, Jasper's feet massaging her back while she sketched some of her latest ideas for a new clothing line. She was playing with the visions in her head, dancing around to various people's futures to see if anything interesting was going to happen today.

She was still on her schedule of checking Charlie's future every half hour, but in her last check twenty minutes ago, she had found his future missing. For one horrible moment, I wondered if Bella had been faking her fatigue, getting her father to drive her to Billy's house after I had left. What would I say to her this time? But Alice was one step ahead of me, and I saw Bella sleeping soundly on her own bed. Charlie must have gone to the reservation alone.

But now, twenty minutes after we had lost Charlie, she let out a little gasp, and I kicked over the can of paint as I leapt to my feet. I stood still in transfixed horror as I shared her vision: several police cars arriving at our house tomorrow at 9:13 am.

"What is it?" Esme asked, frowning.

"Charlie's future just reappeared, along with something else," Alice moaned, scrambling to her feet. "The police are coming here tomorrow morning, and Charlie's with them."

"Can you tell why they're coming?" Jasper asked through his teeth.

Alice pulled at her hair with her hands, squinting in concentration. "I can't tell yet. Give me a minute."

"They're State Police," I growled, seeing their uniforms in her mind. The room was spinning before my eyes as my anger grew. How could this possibly have happened?

Jasper was just as angry as I was, but he finally managed to send a wave of calm over everyone. "What happens after that?" he asked Alice.

She scrunched her eyes shut. "It's bad," she sighed. "I see us leaving tonight."

"What if we don't?" asked Carlisle tightly. "What if we try to stay and diffuse the situation?" He forced himself to decide to stay, no matter what. It was the only way for Alice to see what our options were. I felt the paintbrush snap in my hand as I saw the results play out in her mind. More police, and a helicopter. Jasper killing several men in uniform. Carlisle and I running, alone.

Alice sank back into Jasper's arms, defeated. She quickly explained the new vision to everyone, and Carlisle quickly changed his decision back to leaving tonight. Now we were all standing in a tight circle, Jasper wincing as our anxiety continued to build.

"What could have _possibly_ happened to cause this?" I asked Alice. "What did Charlie _do_?"

"How should I know?" she snapped back at me. "He was obviously near a werewolf for the last twenty minutes."

I drew in my breath sharply. "They betrayed us. The wolves," I whispered.

Carlisle frowned. "But we just negotiated a new treaty. Why would they betray us now?"

"Oh, come on, Carlisle!" I spat. "Charlie spends twenty minutes around a werewolf, and now the State Police are magically appearing tomorrow morning? I don't see what else we're supposed to think!"

"We've got to start packing," Rosalie said stiffly as she headed for the stairs.

Emmett followed her without speaking. _At least it's not my fault this time._

Carlisle was already on the phone, dialing Billy's number. He slammed the phone down in frustration when there was no answer. _I can't believe they betrayed us. I thought we had an understanding._

"That understanding was only forged _after_ I overhead Billy's plans to double-cross us," I muttered. "Those mutts are completely without honor."

Alice was checking on Charlie again, watching his every move two milliseconds ahead of real time. "He's just arriving back home," she announced. We both watched as Charlie peeked in on Bella, and headed towards the bathroom. Alice and I waited impatiently as he reached for a bottle of pills. We both gasped aloud as he found the makeup bottles that Alice had prepared.

"Oh!" Alice said suddenly, her eyes widening.

"What?" Carlisle asked.

"The vision of tomorrow morning just changed," I sighed, pinching the bridge of my nose in frustration. "There are two more policemen now."

"And this time their guns are drawn," Alice added quietly.

I quickly explained what we had just seen Charlie do, while I kept watching Alice's visions of Charlie along with her. After he called the State Police again, he just sat at the kitchen table, his head in his hands.

"I'm afraid we have no choice," Carlisle said tiredly. "We need to be long gone by morning. Esme, would you find my-"

I didn't hear the rest of Carlisle's sentence, or anything my family was saying. I just stood, a frozen statue in the living room as they began to move around me. What did this mean for Bella and me? I had no doubt that she would willingly come with us – just last week she had begged me to take her if this were to happen. I hated that I would have to suddenly place such a burden on her. It was so infernally _unfair_! Things hadn't exactly been easy the last couple of weeks, but the love that Bella and I shared had only grown stronger in the face of adversity; it always had. I had foolishly thought that things couldn't get much worse- werewolves, Bella's father accusing me of domestic abuse, the dilemma regarding Bella's mortality and the ensuing troubles within my family… but _this_! This was too much. I couldn't ask her to give up her father and her home- and certainly not overnight! It was clear that delaying our departure was not an option. I would stay behind, then. It would hurt to be parted from my family, but they would understand. Perhaps after Bella left for college we could all be reunited.

I looked up at Carlisle sadly, and he returned my gaze. "I can't go with you," I said quietly. "I can't leave her behind, and I won't ask her to come with us. It's too much, too soon."

He frowned back at me. "But Edward, you'll be as much of a fugitive as we will." I sighed in frustration, seeing his point. I would be unable to have any sort of contact with anyone except Bella. No school, no contact with Charlie, nothing. I would have to live in the woods behind Bella's house. Worse, Bella would need to lie constantly now. She wouldn't be able to confide in anyone about my continued presence in her life. It was going to be difficult to go anywhere with her- she would have to come up with a new excuse every time she went out.

"I'll manage," I said grimly. "I'll keep to the woods behind her house."

"And what about Bella herself?" he asked. "Everyone is going to be asking her a lot of questions about us. Do you really want to put her in that position?"

"Of course not, but I don't have a choice. And she can handle it," I added confidently. "I'll have her pretend that I broke up with her, or something like that. We can make it work to minimize any repercussions for the family's disappearance as a whole."

Carlisle glanced up the stairs, where Esme was already getting out their suitcases. _Edward, just think what Esme will say. You know she can't stand to be parted from you._

"But you understand, don't you? I can't be parted from Bella. I _can't_."

"Yes, I understand." _I'm going to miss you, son. Perhaps we can be reunited before long._

"Wait, wait," Alice moaned. "This isn't going to work. Your future just disappeared, Edward. I see nothing after tomorrow morning."

"Well, that doesn't mean much," I said impatiently. "Maybe Jacob is going to sneak over to see Bella tomorrow. After he gets far enough away, I'll reappear in your visions again."

Alice looked doubtful. "I suppose so." She returned to watching the new future that was solidifying for the rest of them: traveling light through Northern Canada, Jasper sparkling under the cold Siberian sun, Carlisle working in a dusty clinic, writing in Russian on a medical chart. "Dr. Masen" appeared on his lab coat in the vision.

"Masen?" she asked aloud.

Carlisle smiled sadly. "I think it's best if we leave the Cullen name behind for a while, don't you?"

Alice nodded her agreement, and she continued watching while Jasper headed upstairs to begin his own version of packing- erasing all electronic records of our existence from the computer systems at the hospital, DMV, and the school. It looked like he and Alice wouldn't be joining everyone else for a week or so; they would make a detour to Seattle to obtain the paperwork for everyone's new identities. Another vision: Esme crying, holding a picture of me. Everyone standing outside in a circle on the Siberian tundra, the same picture still clutched in Esme's trembling hand.

I frowned at the last image. _That_ didn't bode well.

The phone rang and Carlisle answered it; it was Billy.

"Dr. Cullen," he began gruffly. "I assume your group have used their talents, and you have realized what is going on."

"My daughter has seen a vision of the State Police arriving here tomorrow morning. We are leaving tonight," Carlisle informed him. "Although we still aren't sure what caused this sudden change."

"I'm not sure of all the details myself," Billy admitted. "But I do know Charlie has found some damning evidence related to your false identities."

"I certainly hope that you had nothing to do with this," Carlisle said carefully.

"That's why I'm calling. I wanted to make it clear that I was not involved, and neither were any of my people. In fact, Charlie tried to get information out of me, but I told him nothing. I don't know what Charlie came across online, but he did this on his own. We are blameless in this, and I want to make sure you understand that."

"Very well," Carlisle sighed. "It doesn't matter, anyway. We will honor our promise to stay away."

"See that you do. And that's the other reason I called. Since you are leaving anyway, the elders have agreed that the treaty will be void as of midnight tonight."

I hissed and inched closer to Carlisle. He held his hand up to silence me. "I don't understand. We haven't done anything wrong here. We're only leaving now because there is a new threat of exposure. I hardly think that's a reason to nullify a treaty that has stood for seventy years!"

"Like you said yourself, it doesn't matter," Billy countered. "You're leaving anyway, and you won't be returning. Why do you even need the treaty?"

Carlisle looked toward me again. He was debating whether to tell Billy about my intention to stay. I nodded. "Because my son Edward would like to remain behind for a short time," he admitted finally. "He will still leave by June of next year, as per our agreement."

"Stay behind? You mean because of Charlie's daughter?"

"Yes. For a short time only."

There was a pause as Billy held his hand over the phone, discussing my problem with the other elders and Sam, presumably. I held my breath, cursing my inability to hear thoughts over the phone. Billy came back to speak after just a few moments. "No," he said firmly. "The treaty ends tonight. If the pack encounters any member of your family after that time, they are going to attack without question."

"That is completely unacceptable," Carlisle argued, struggling to keep his composure. "Edward will continue to honor the boundaries, and he will be gone by June. You have no right to dissolve the treaty simply because you don't want him here!"

"We have every right! This is our land, and we allotted a portion to your group for seventy years, agreeing to nonaggression and mutual nondisclosure. You have been exposed, and now you are leaving. We are simply reclaiming what has always been ours. We will not artificially extend the treaty simply because your creation wants to be near his human companion. We have been more than patient in allowing him to be in Bella's life at all! If we allow him to stay, you won't be there to guarantee his behavior. And as for boundaries, there won't _be_ any treaty line after midnight tonight. The pack will have unlimited access, and they will destroy _any_ vampire they find."

Carlisle closed his eyes in defeat, then opened them to look at me apologetically. _I'm sorry, Edward. The only way out of this is a full-on battle, and you know I will not allow that._ I nodded, understanding all too well. The only reason the Quileutes had ever agreed to the treaty in the first place was because of our superior numbers. Now that my family would be gone, they really had no reason to tolerate my presence.

"Look, Dr. Cullen," Billy continued in a calmer voice. "I won't say I'm sorry to see you go, but I am sorry that your 'family' was placed in this difficult situation. I wish you all the best. But my first duty is to my people, and we want this land to be free of vampires. We finally have that chance, and though we didn't act dishonorably to bring this chance about, we are going to take it."

"I understand," Carlisle said coldly. "Good day."

"Good luck," Billy finished lamely, and he hung up. Alice sighed loudly.

"That's why your future disappears, Edward," she said with confidence. "The wolves will consider you fair game after we're gone, and even you can't fight off three of them alone."

"Soon to be four," I said miserably. She was right; I really had no hope of staying alive anywhere near Forks with those odds.

"Well, it looks like you are coming with us, after all," Carlisle said, trying to hide his relief. "The question is, what do we do about Bella?"

"She has already said that she wants to come with us if this were to happen," I told him reluctantly. "But I don't see how we can take her. We're planning on traveling through the Arctic. Alice tried other routes, but they all had too many complications."

"The two of you could take a different route," Esme suggested as she reentered the room.

"And what about Jasper?" I asked quietly, glancing upstairs. "I'm not sure I'm comfortable with the idea of Bella being so close to him all the time."

"Edward, I think you need to consider the hardships and dangers that Bella will be facing if she travels with us," Carlisle said firmly. "The best time to change her may be sooner rather than later."

"No!" I growled. _Not like this!_

"We've already had this conversation, son. Bella wants to be changed, and by delaying it further, you will only be adding to her burden. If she is agreeable, we should take her into the Canadian wilderness and change her there. We will continue our journey after her transformation is complete."

"No, NO!" Alice moaned, holding her head. "Listen to me, both of you! It doesn't matter whether you change her or not! It doesn't matter if we split up! We _can't_ take Bella with us!"

I turned on her angrily. "Why not?"

"Just look!" she wailed. I watched in horror at the new future Carlisle's decision had created. The policemen tomorrow, now joined by the FBI. The kidnapping case, hitting national news. The Cullen name appearing on various lists in different languages, including Italian. Newspaper headlines about immortality, witchcraft- and our name in the articles. Dark cloaks, and a vampire I had never met, his arm wrapped around Bella's neck. Her red eyes vacant as she burned…

I fell to my knees, gasping for the air I didn't need. Somewhere far away Alice's voice was explaining the vision to our parents, and Carlisle was trying to figure out how the media was going to make the jump from kidnapping to immortality.

"He must have found something else besides just the identity fraud," Alice was saying.

Then the pain grew so loud I couldn't understand the words anymore. My chest felt like it had torn open, and the image of Bella dying pulsed repeatedly before my eyes in rapid fire. Carlisle must have changed his mind about something, because after a moment the image shifted to a human Bella dying at the hands of the same vampire. Her eyes were brown, but just as dead.

"Stop," I choked out in anguish. "Stop it, please!"

Carlisle sighed in frustration and the visions disappeared into an empty blackness. Now Bella had _no_ future- neither life nor death.

Alice was biting her lip, looking hesitant. "I don't think she will die if we leave her behind. I _think_ that's just werewolves."

"But we'll have no way of knowing, other that calling to check on her," Carlisle said grimly.

I finally sat up, finding my voice. "What are you talking about?" I asked dumbly. "Leaving Bella behind is not an option." I felt the ceiling and walls begin to shrink toward me as my mind grasped at all the plans we had been trying to make, watching as they all broke off in my hands like dry straw. Or was it the crumbling edges of a cliff? I was falling…

Jasper appeared beside me on the floor, and he grimaced as he began pulling at my anxiety.

Carlisle and Esme sat down beside me as well, and through the haze I felt my mother's hand rubbing my back. "Sweetheart, I think it's the only option we have left," she said quietly. "But it doesn't have to be forever. She'll turn eighteen soon, and then she can go wherever she wants. We'll just have her meet us wherever we are."

"It might have to be longer than that," Carlisle said carefully, watching me as he spoke. "Charlie will be watching Bella like a hawk for a while after this, especially considering our disappearance. If she were to suddenly disappear at any time, he will assume we've taken her."

"And then we're back to the future where the Volturi find us," Alice finished. "Just because she'll be eighteen doesn't mean he won't raise Hell over the kidnapping, no matter what kind of explanation she gives him."

"You've seen this?" Carlisle asked.

"No, I'm guessing," she admitted. "No matter what, Bella's future disappears soon after we leave. But I know Charlie. You should have seen him tonight, Carlisle. He was like a different man. He will stop at nothing to keep Bella from us." I just nodded my silent agreement, staring ahead at nothing.

"College, then," Carlisle tried. "We wait a year, and when Bella leaves for college- which will be across the country- she'll join us instead. We can set it up so that Charlie won't learn of the changes to her travel plan. Bella could call him eventually, and calm him down before he does anything."

"A year?" I echoed stupidly. A year. Without Bella. I still was hanging off the edge of the cliff, but some sinister force was sucking Bella backwards from the edge, away from me.

"Well, Alice?" Carlisle asked.

Alice just shrugged, rubbing her forehead. "I don't know. I just don't know."

"Now just a minute," Jasper interrupted. "Maybe we can prevent any of this from happening. What if I go kill Charlie tonight? Maybe we can stop the Police from coming at all. Maybe nobody has to leave, and we can reinstate the treaty. I can make it look like an accident, and the case against us will never have begun."

"No, Jasper! That is _not_ how we handle this kind of thing," Carlisle said, looking to me for support. But I stared back at him dully, unable to agree with him. As ashamed as I was to admit it, I _was_ willing to sacrifice Charlie if it meant I could stay with Bella. Somewhere in the fog in my brain, there was something wrong with this option – something about Bella's happiness- but for the life of me, I couldn't figure out what it was. All I could see was Bella standing over me, at the edge of the cliff, and my hands finding this one piece of solid ground…

"Let's try it," I said quietly, ignoring Carlisle's stare.

 _Thank you, Edward,_ Jasper thought. _I'm glad you're finally starting to think realistically. Didn't I tell you this might have to be done?_ He closed his eyes, deciding on his course: Charlie would die tonight. Having made the decision, he opened his eyes and waited for Alice's visions to register the change.

But my brain was immediately assaulted with exactly the same image as before: Bella dying at the hands of the Volturi.

"STOP!" I roared, flying at Alice. I couldn't even see my sister; all I could see was the horror as it returned, and all I felt was the need to destroy the image.

The next thing I knew, I was face down on the floor, with Jasper and Carlisle on my back, holding my arms behind me. Jasper reversed his decision about killing Charlie, and I wept in relief as Bella's death disappeared again. Emmett's feet appeared in front of my face. "I'm done," I said, turning my face to Jasper as I coughed. "I'm sorry. I'm all right now."

They slowly released me, and I stood shakily to my feet. I looked around at my family, and every mind, even Rosalie's, was shrouded with pity. "I'm sorry," I repeated, to Alice this time. "I just can't- I can't see that again. Ever." She just nodded sadly.

"What happened?" Carlisle demanded.

"The Volturi again," Alice said quietly. "Charlie has already called the State Police twice, and I guess he gave them enough to pick up the case without him. The murder would only speed things along- we die four days sooner this way."

The room was silent as everyone watched me, waiting to see what I would do. "I'm going to tell Bella now," I said lifelessly. What else was there to do?

Carlisle just nodded. _I hate to say it, but we only have so much time. I need you back here by nightfall._

Jasper stepped forward and handed me his phone. "Give her this," he offered. "Charlie will probably be watching his phone line. This way you'll be able to keep in touch and make your plans for… for later." _If there is a later. If I had just killed him before- even last week- it would have worked. I should have done it. I'm sorry._

I looked down at the phone, tiny and silver in my hand. I dug into my pocket and took out my own, holding the two together. After tonight, and for the foreseeable future, this was all I would have of her. All the love I had for her, and all the agony that even the thought of the separation was already causing me- it all had to fit inside a tiny, silver rectangle.

This was wrong- so very wrong. But what else could I do?

I stumbled out the door, blinking as the evening sun set my skin to glowing. I wanted to walk, to trudge as slowly as possible to drag it out, but that would mean less time with Bella. My feet stirred themselves into a run, and as the woods began to fly past me, I clutched my phone as tightly as I dared.

Very soon, it would be all I had.


	28. Depravity

**A/N: Before you read this chapter, be warned. Some of you are going to get REALLY angry by the time you finish reading- but please, hang in there! I promise this story is NOT and WILL NOT be New Moon all over again. A happy ending is coming, I promise! And for those of you who aren't about to get mad at me, tissues may be in order here.**

**EPOV**

As I ran, I was assaulted by the memory of Alice's vision. What had been a few seconds of agony before- playing at vampire speed in Alice's mind- now stretched out in real time. And now, without Jasper to help me, the horror of watching Bella die was even more painful. I was running blindly now, faster and faster as I tried to escape the image. I lost my way in the woods more than once, and I finally stumbled and fell, the weight of Alice's vision pinning me to the earth. But I somehow forced myself back up onto my hands, steeling myself against the pain. I couldn't afford to let it take me right now. I only had an hour with Bella, two at the most. I wasn't going to waste that precious time curled up in a ball in the dirt!

I just had to think about something else. If I could just distract myself, then I could get up and make my legs work again. I closed my eyes and forced my thoughts back two weeks, to the day when I had played my newest composition for her- the one about her and Alice's friendship. And that same night, when I had snuck her out of her own window and we had watched the stars. Bella had been so carefree that day- even though she had still had the cast, her leg had stopped aching, and I had finally begun to forgive myself for my part in her encounter with James.

I had been carefree that day, too. I smiled, remembered the laughter that Bella and Alice had shared, and how happy it had made me to see my favorite sister and my love have so much fun together. And I remembered my contentment that night, as I had held Bella close to me in her backyard, whispering the names of the constellations in her ear as she sipped the hot cocoa I had brought. She had looked so beautiful in the starlight, and so content.

My heart was finally light enough for me to stand and continue running. I played that day over and over in my mind, in order to keep myself moving. Had that really only been two weeks ago? So much had happened since then. The burns, Charlie's suspicions, the wolves, Jacob- and yet, with each challenge, my love for Bella had only grown. Each time I feared for her life, or our future, she became even more precious in my eyes. And her resilience over the past two weeks had made me admire her more, as well. I had learned more about Bella, and about how strong she truly was. And how intelligent, and creative, and adaptable, and beautiful with wet hair in the sunlight; my feet got an extra burst of speed as my love expanded yet again.

But now, we faced a new challenge- one more difficult, and more uncertain, than any of the others. Bella and I would have to be separated, and I wouldn't even be able to tell her how long that separation would need to be. I supposed we would have to play it by ear, keeping an eye on the public response to our disappearance. Bella would need to be watching Charlie carefully, feeling him out to see when it might be safe for her to disappear.

I needed to keep my head. We could do this. The love that we shared could survive a long-distance relationship. A niggling doubt scratched around in the back of my mind- Jacob Black- but there was little I could do about that, other than leave Bella with one last warning about the danger. I needed to accept that they were friends. And the fact that Bella was going to disappear from Alice's visions could only mean that she would go to her friend for comfort in my absence. I hated the thought of that, of him _comforting_ her in any way. But again, I needed to accept it. Werewolf or not, Jacob was the only friend that Bella could really turn to. He would be the only one who could possibly understand. He was the only one who was going to know the truth.

I needed to fine-tune the new cover story as I ran. Yes, only Jacob would know the truth, because everyone else would either believe Charlie's suspicions, or the story that I was going to have Bella give out. She would tell everyone that we had had a horrible fight, and that my family had moved in order to get me away from her. They had been planning to move soon anyway- Carlisle had been sending out his resume, looking for research opportunities- but my fight with Bella had accelerated our plans. What should we make the fight about? Or maybe that scenario wasn't believable enough. Maybe I should have the family move _cause_ the fight. Or maybe it didn't need to be a fight at all- I hated the thought of her having to tell her friends that. Maybe we had to move suddenly- Carlisle had landed a lucrative research position which started next week- and I had reluctantly broken up with Bella, because my parents said I had to. They wanted me to move on, and not suffer. We were only seventeen, after all.

Yes, this story was the best so far. Bella's tears would naturally be mistaken for sadness over the breakup. Her human friends would be there for her, and she wouldn't have to hide her grief. There would also be less in the way of lying, and that would make it easier on her, while she waited to join me. A new idea formed in my mind- I would ask her to keep away from the wolves as much as possible, so that Alice would be able to keep an eye on her future. I wouldn't make it a demand- I knew how she tended to respond to _those_. But if I worded my "request" as the one favor that she could grant me in this trying time, no doubt she would be more likely to honor it. Selflessness was Bella's creed. I hated to use that to my advantage, but it _was_ important to keep Alice's visions clear. It would be especially important later on, when we began to plan our reunion.

Satisfied with the new plan, I broke into an all-out sprint, eager to be with Bella as soon as possible. I hated to break the news to her, but it had to be done as quickly as possible. I would have her pretend to stay asleep the rest of the night, so she could avoid Charlie. And then, tomorrow, after his plans had been foiled, then she could tearfully tell him about the breakup and the move. She would conveniently have forgotten where we were moving to, and the name of Carlisle's new employer. He would be skeptical, but there would be little he could do. Alice had already ensured that leaving Bella behind would have the least repercussions in terms of law enforcement. Our name would stay on a list on some state trooper's desk for a while, but the case would never actually be looked into.

As I neared Bella's house, I wondered how long it would take for Charlie to cool off. Would we be able to reunite after she graduated, as Carlisle had hoped? Would we free of the Volturi's shadow? It was so ironic that the true danger- from the vampire world- might actually be caused by a human's suspicion. I was close enough now to hear Charlie's thoughts. I didn't need Jasper to see how furious he was, and as usual, his rage was twisting his thoughts into an unreadable jumble. I paused, less than a mile away, and watched his mind for a moment. It was important that I learn as much as possible.

He was running through all the things he had learned about us today. I couldn't make sense of his thoughts themselves, but I was able to watch the images as he recalled them. I saw now how our cover had been blown- he was remembering the websites he had gone on, and the phone calls with which he discovered the identity fraud. I hissed in anger when I saw the photo he had found online- Alice and I, back in 1980. How had Jasper missed this? He was always combing the internet, hacking whatever he needed to, erasing things like this. But now I saw that the picture had only been scanned and posted two days ago. Jasper usually did his internet checks on Sundays.

I shook my head, cursing Fate yet again. I had thought her cruel back when I had been so drawn to Bella, in the beginning. I had raged at the universe, asking why Fate had put such a temptation in my path. And later, once Bella and I had declared our love, I had cursed Fate again for the ethereal nature of our happiness. Why couldn't I just be human, and live a normal life with her?

Now I cursed Fate for all the darts she had thrown at us in the past two weeks. No doubt this photo was the reason that the Volturi had become a part of Alice's visions- our disappearance, combined with either Charlie's murder or Bella's "kidnapping", would grow into an enchanting story about immortality, driven by the media's speculation about the photo. It must be why the case had risen to international attention- the speculations about the supernatural would give the case a romantic edge- just enough for the Volturi to decide it was time to intervene.

My body shook as the vision hit me again. Bella, being torn apart by the Volturi guard. Burned. Somewhere, on the edges of the picture, I saw myself and my family already dead. Bella's pieces were easily tossed into the fire that was already consuming the rest of us. But none of that mattered. Bella was the only part of the vision that mattered. Bella, finally a vampire, dying within a few short days of receiving the "immortality" she had been begging me for. The irony was sickening.

After Carlisle had laid down his ultimatum the other day, a part of me had been secretly relieved. Oh, I was still determined to stop him, to convince Bella to deny his offer. But part of me understood that I would fail eventually, and an even smaller part of me _rejoiced_. I would get Bella forever, after all! It would be even better than I had hoped. New possibilities had arisen, and though I tried to beat them down, the back of my brain had been exploding with hopeful images. Bella and I, running and sparkling through a forest. Never worrying about Bella's fragility again. Kissing her the way I wanted to. Our wedding day, and the night that would follow. Creating a home together, exploring the world together!

Now all I felt was disgust, at myself. Yes, those things might still happen someday. But how could I have let myself be so selfish? How could I have rejoiced at the thought of Bella's soul being destroyed? The truth was that I had finally allowed myself to forget all the reasons why I had never wanted Bella to be changed. The soul issue. The thirst. The temptation, the danger of slipping with humans. The loss of her family. The inability to have a normal, human life. The life in the shadows. The inability to have children. The inability to grow. I had purposely chosen to forget all these things, just because I wanted to keep her! Why?!

As I approached Bella's house, the answer came to me. It was because of the way my love for her had grown in the last two weeks. My heart had expanded so much, the love becoming so impossibly huge, that it had begun to destroy my reason. I had finally managed to stop looking after Bella's best interest, greedily hoping to satisfy my own. I finally loved her _too_ much.

I paused under the edge of the forest, climbing up a tree to peek into Bella's room. She lay still in her bed, still sleeping off our day at the beach. Even from where I was, I could see the fading burns that I had caused. I could see the bruises that Jacob had left- which had been because of me, of course. I could see the scar left by James' teeth on her wrist- thankfully, Charlie had always assumed it was from the broken glass in Phoenix. I could see the difference in girth between her two legs, due to the extended time in the cast.

Bella was _covered_ with reminders of her interaction with the supernatural world. No wonder Charlie had finally come to his senses and decided to investigate us. And now, on her face, a new bruise was blossoming around her nose. This one was from the volleyball earlier today- though no doubt Charlie would be happy to attribute this new injury- and the one left by Jacob- to me. Why wouldn't he?

All these injuries- except the face- had been because of my involvement in Bella's life. But these were nothing compared with the danger I had almost put her in tonight. When Carlisle had insisted that we change Bella immediately, my heart had leapt with hope, even as I protested his plan. Again, my love had grown so huge that I was willing to let my father overrule me and give me what I secretly wanted, even though I knew it was wrong.

Thank God for Alice. If her vision hadn't stopped me in my tracks, Bella would be dying in just a few short days. Because of _me_.

But I hadn't stopped there. When Jasper had suggested murdering Charlie, my hope had rekindled. I was actually going to let him do it! Again, Alice's vision stopped me. But if it hadn't, I would have let Bella's father die, just so I could have her. Now that my head was clearer, I recoiled in shock at what I had almost done. Had my love really grown so powerful, that I would do something so hideous? That I would hurt Bella that deeply?

Yes, it had.

Jasper's plan wouldn't have worked anyway. Even if the wolves didn't suspect him, they would have used Charlie's death to end the treaty anyway. And Bella- what would she have thought? How could she possibly love me after I had agreed to her own father's murder? Would I have hidden the truth from her, just in order to keep her?

I might. I just might. By agreeing to Jasper's plan, I had demonstrated that I had totally ceased to care about anything except keeping Bella. My mind-blowing love for her had twisted me into the most selfish creature imaginable. My mind whisked over my behavior in the past two weeks. I had injured her, and then done everything possible to hide those injuries from her father. I had used Bella to spy on the werewolves, and then turned around and forbidden her to see the one friend she had actually made this year. When she had gone behind my back and did it anyway, I simply began thinking up new "creative" ways to control her movements. When my father had put his foot down and overruled me regarding Bella's humanity, a part of me had actually been happy. Happy! And just today, I had been willing to commit a much darker sin, as my love shifted into desperation. I had been willing not only to destroy Bella's soul, but also to murder her father in order to achieve that goal.

Was this even love anymore?

I knew that I was obsessed with Bella. First it had only been her scent, but now it was everything. I watched her every second that I was with her, and I ached every second I was away from her. And since my love had been at least as strong as my obsession, I had never thought to question it. But now? Now I saw what my love had turned into- what it had been turning into all along. My presence in Bella's life was an ever-lengthening shadow of obsession and control. What had happened to that voice of reason, back in January? I had sworn to stay out of Bella's life, knowing what a stain my presence was. What a _danger_ it was. Then in March, I had sworn a new oath: to stay in her life, but to leave her human.

What had happened to those promises? How had I gone from loving her from afar- a decision I had made for her own good- to seeing her now, covered in injuries? How had we gotten to the place where Bella herself had asked me yesterday to give her a little space just so her father wouldn't get more suspicious?

And I wasn't even through hurting her! Now I was going to ask her to wait for me. I was going to leave the country, and give her a vague promise that we would be together again someday. And _hopefully_ , when that day came, I wouldn't get her killed by the Volturi. _Hopefully_ I wouldn't turn around and kill her father anyway, when I couldn't stand to wait. When the obsession grew even large enough, crowding out what used to be a pure love. And in the meantime, I would guilt her into waiting for me. And if that wasn't enough, I was also planning to guilt her into staying away from Jacob just so Alice's visions would get cleaned up. I would press Jasper's phone into her hands, hypnotizing her with my eyes, silently rejoicing that I had a way to keep tabs on her.

I suppose I _could_ still call it love. There was no denying what Bella and I felt for each other. I couldn't deny that my joy was reflected in her eyes. But every time our future had been threatened, my depravity had grown, along with my love. And later- if everything worked out, and Bella came to join us, what would become of that love? If I changed Bella, and married her, I could only imagine the explosive growth of love and obsession that would take place. Would I be just as obsessed, after I truly had her? Without her human fragility, would I just find new excuses to "protect" her? Would she be able to have any sort of life apart from me? Did I even _want_ her to?

I leapt silently onto the house, gripping the siding and slipping in through Bella's window. I knelt beside her bed, watching her sleep. So precious. So beautiful. So peaceful- she couldn't possibly expect the things I was about to say to her.

I stood up, frowning. What _was_ I going to say to her?

I felt the weight of Jasper's phone in my pocket, and I took it out. Would I give Bella this token, holding her to at least a year of waiting and hoping? Would she hold out for me, joyfully coming to meet me when the time was right?

Of course she would.

And that was exactly why I had to let her go.

I had to set her free. It was the only gift I had left to give to her. I was dangerously close to the brink of loving her too much, and crushing her with that love, as I had feared before. And I would have already tumbled off the edge, if Alice's visions hadn't stopped me. If I didn't let her go now, I would never be able to do it.

My own phone buzzed in my pocket- Alice, no doubt. I quietly took it out and answered in a whisper.

"Edward, stop! This is wrong!"

My face fell. It appeared I had made my decision, then. So be it. The pain tore down through the center of my chest, and I whispered back to Alice- I couldn't have spoken aloud, at any rate.

"Alice, if you don't have something useful to say- and by useful I mean a vision- then leave me alone. I'm trying to think."

"You know what Carlisle says about you thinking too much! Now give her the phone and get out of there before you do something stupid!"

I hung up on her, putting the phone back in my pocket.

Ah, Carlisle. He was always chiding me for my tragic fatalism. Well, this time it wasn't my fault. Fate had left me with hardly anything to work with, and my desperate response had finally brought me to my senses. Leaving Bella- truly leaving her- was the only moral act I could manage anymore. This was so wrong, so wrong to do- but only in the sense that I hadn't done it back when I should have. Could I actually _do_ it, though?

I could. It would tear me apart, and Bella's heart would be broken, but I could do it. I had to do it, for her. After she was done mourning me, and she realized how suffocating my presence had been, she would be happy. I wanted her to be free of us. Of me. The pain tore deeper into my chest, and somewhere in my mind, I registered the snapping sound as Jasper's phone broke in my hands. I took a deep, ragged breath and looked down at Bella, silently begging her forgiveness for what I was about to do.

I didn't have time to do this _right_. If I had more time- a few days, perhaps, then I could work myself up to a real performance. I could try to convince her that I didn't love her- just like my plan that I had tried to form early this morning, while Bella was sleeping. I could work up enough control to wear a mask, and pretend that I had actually _tired_ of her, that I didn't _want_ her to come with us, or to wait for me.

But it wouldn't work. I couldn't see my own face right now, but there was no way I was going to be able to hide my agony from Bella. I simply didn't have the time or the energy to develop the performance. I was wasting time, even now. So, instead, I would wake her up and tell her the truth… mostly. I would tell her why we had to leave. I would tell her why I couldn't stay behind. I would tell her why we couldn't take her with us. The only thing I needed to lie about was this: I would tell her that there was no hope for us. I would tell her that every possibility- including reuniting at a later time- would result in the Volturi executing everyone. It wasn't that far from the truth, actually. We had no way of knowing—at least for now—when and if we would be able to safely find each other. She really _might_ be waiting for years. She really might put her life on hold for that long, clinging to a silver phone as her lifeline. And then, when she finally escaped her human life and joined me, she would find that my love was even more suffocating than before. I knew that the longer I waited, the more crazed I would become.

For one cowardly moment, I considered leaving her asleep. Writing all this in note, so that she couldn't distract me from my mission—so I wouldn't have to watch her heart break in my hands.

No.

If I was going to do this to her, I would do it honorably. And the thought of not seeing her eyes one more time threatened to break my will all over again. _You wouldn't see them after today_ , _anyway_ , I thought grimly, and another wave of pain tore into my chest. I was leaving her tonight no matter what- I truly had no choice about _that_. Setting her free was the only way to make this action have any sort of honor.

My decision would stand, then. I was hanging off the cliff again, staring up at Bella's angelic face in desperation. Finding no purchase, my hands scrambled and slipped down the side of the cliff, and I tumbled into darkness.


	29. Impossible

**A/N: This is it! One last pull-your-hair-out chapter and then things can start looking up. I actually _cried_ when I wrote this.**

"Bella."

It was one of those naps where you feel like your body is submerged in the mattress. I felt like I was on that gas the dentist gives you- the one where you feel like your toes are stretching across the room.

"Bella, wake up."

I frowned, the darkness swirling slowly into light as I creaked my eyes open. Edward's angelic face was hovering over mine, and I started to smile. But something was wrong- the angel was sad. His eyes were black and he was the palest I had ever seen him. But there was no reason for the angel to be sad. A dream, then. I shut my eyes, slipping back into the happy darkness.

"Bella, please, you've got to wake up. I need to talk to you."

Now the angel was shaking my shoulder, and I sighed, letting his cold touch pull me back into consciousness. I blinked, surprised at how dark it had gotten. How long had I been asleep?

"Edward!" I sat up, rubbing my eyes and looking at him again. It hadn't been a dream- Edward looked awful. He looked like he hadn't fed in weeks, and his hands were trembling even as he drew me closer, kissing the top of my hair. He breathed deeply, taking in my scent as he always did. But instead of releasing me and smiling, he just kept holding me.

"What's wrong?" I asked, my face pressed into his shoulder. He pulled back, finally.

"Something happened," he said flatly.

"Something bad?"

"The worst."

A cold fear seized my heart. Had somebody died? Had the Cullens been found out? Had the wolves attacked? "Tell me," I said quickly.

"Alice had a vision. The State Police are going to converge on our house tomorrow. Charlie has discovered a few things about us- involving our identity fraud and, worse, our lack of aging. He's already called them. It's already set in motion."

I gasped, my heart racing faster. "Maybe we can fix it. Maybe we could tell Charlie the truth, make him erase the police order."

He sighed patiently. "Bella, you know we can't do that. Besides the risk to him, it would only make him more determined to ruin us. And, like I said, it's already set in motion. We have to leave, Bella."

I nodded, my head spinning. "When?" I whispered.

"We have to leave Forks tonight. By midnight, actually. The Quileutes found out about Charlie's discovery, and they are ending the treaty at midnight tonight. Any vampire who stays in Forks after that is going to be attacked and killed."

"You can actually be ready to go by then?"

He shrugged. "We've done it before."

My heart stopped altogether. Something about the way he was looking at me- a tired, defeated, look, made me afraid. "When you say _we_ -" I whispered.

"I mean my family and myself."

"And me," I said slowly. "Just give me an hour, I can be packed and-"

"You can't come, Bella." The words beat against my head, clattering to the floor. I couldn't comprehend them.

"What do you mean, I _can't_ come?"

He took a deep breath. "My first plan was to stay behind, with you. I didn't want you to have to leave so suddenly. But the wolves won't allow it. So my next plan was to bring you along. But-" he looked away, wincing at some thought. When he turned back, his eyes were colder than before, more determined. "But Alice saw that it wouldn't work. One thing leads to another, and the Volturi come down on our heads, no matter how we split up, take different routes, it doesn't matter. They find us in the end. They have their methods."

"So change me," I whispered. He couldn't possibly put me off now- not with this hanging over our heads. "I'll be able to fight."

"We tried that possibility. It won't work. All of us get executed."

I gasped again, the image of Edward burning before my eyes. A terrible pain arose in my chest, and my brain scrambled to find some other way. I couldn't put him in danger.

"Okay, so you all leave, and I just follow later," I said desperately. I had never considered the possibility that we might need to be separated- this was worse than I had thought. My chest was hurting…

He looked right into my eyes, swallowing. "That doesn't work either." His eyes flickered momentarily, but then they were hard again.

"I follow much later, then." I said quickly. "A year, two years. Charlie won't be able to say anything. Or I'll move back with Renee. I'll tell Charlie that I'm too upset to stay here, that I need to be with her. You can meet me in Florida-"

"Bella. It's not going to work. _Nothing_ is going to work. We tried."

I felt some kind of epiphany trying to form inside my head, but it wouldn't coalesce. Edward was trying to tell me something, but I wasn't processing it. It was too impossible.

"When you say nothing…"

"I mean _nothing_. This has to be the end, Bella. For you and me." He spoke the words in a rush, as if he was afraid he wouldn't make it to the end of the sentence. He reached into his pocket, and I heard an odd clinking sound- like he was jingling coins, only it didn't sound quite right. "It's not that I don't want you to come with us," he continued softly. "I will always love you, and that's why I have to let you go. It's the only way for you to _survive_." He placed his trembling hands on mine. "Please, understand," he pleaded. "I don't want to do this. But I have to keep you safe, and this is the only way."

His words finally hit me, and I leaned back to absorb the blow. He was trying to _leave_ me. "This is about keeping me _safe_?" I asked incredulously. "Because I don't care about being _safe_. I need to be with you, and you need to be with me! How can you even think that I would let you go without me?"

My own hands were trembling now, with anger. I had always feared this conversation, ever since that day in the hospital. That something stupid would happen, and that Edward would convince himself that he had to leave me, for my own good.

"This is not about me being overprotective, Bella. Not this time," he said sadly, reaching up to touch my face. "We tried every possibility. Alice's visions-"

"I don't give a crap about Alice's visions!" I whispered fiercely. "Just change me, and we'll do our best! We'll deal with these Volturi the best we can!"

"It doesn't work like that, love," he said with the ghost of a smile. "When the Volturi decide to wipe out a coven, there isn't a _fight_. It's just _done_."

I just shook my head, over and over.

"This is my fault," he continued bitterly. "If I had just listened to you back in May, maybe we could have disappeared together. But here we are."

"Here we are," I repeated dumbly. The pain in my chest was tripling with each breath. Something wet was pouring down my face, and the bed seemed to stretch out longer and longer, separating Edward from me already.

"Bella," he murmured, snapping me back to reality. I couldn't even see him through the tears now, and I wiped my eyes quickly, unwilling to lose the sight of him before I had to.

"Bella," he whispered again, "Knowing you- loving you- has been the most wonderful part of my life. If there was any way to make this right, I would do it. If there was any way to go back in time and fix this, I would. But I won't take you away just to condemn you to death. I can't do it, Bella. The only comfort I'm going to have is that you're safe. So, please, be safe, for me." He reached out again, running his fingers over my face like a blind man trying to see what I looked like.

Then he leaned down, his face inches from mine. I was lost inside his eyes, and it dulled the pain as he spoke. "Listen to me. What we have- what we had… it was a dream, Bella. It was never meant to happen. We were fighting the current the whole time. Your life wasn't meant to have someone like me in it. Please, let yourself believe that it was never real. Pretend I never existed. Just tell everyone that we broke up because my family had to move- you can say Carlisle got a new job and we had to leave quickly- and my parents wanted me to break it off. That they asked me to do this, because it's…" he swallowed again. "Because it's easier this way."

"You'll come back," I said dully. "Or I'll find you, and we'll make it work. Where are you moving to?"

He just shook his head. "Listen, I know this is the wrong time to say this, but this is really for the best. Fate is giving you this chance to be free of our world. You'll be free."

"And _you'll_ be free," I said icily. Pain instantly clouded his features, but I didn't care. I had to be sure he hadn't somehow talked himself into this, thinking it was for my own good. I had to make sure this really _had_ to happen.

"Never say that," he hissed, surprising me with the ferocity of his voice. "The one thing I want you to be certain of is my love. I will carry it with me forever. It's the way my species is. But this- human and vampire together… I suppose it was doomed to fail."

"It wouldn't have stayed that way," I insisted stubbornly. "I would have been like you. Carlisle was going to do it."

His eyes softened. "I know. But that future is lost to us now."

He had finally accepted it, then. He had finally been willing to let Carlisle change me. And now, now that I had his blessing, my hope had been snatched away, just like that. And now, Edward himself was being snatched away, too. I had thought I had all the time in the world, to change his mind. And now, we had no time at all. We had been so close, so close to being together forever.

And now it was lost.

The ache in my chest started to burn, a fire tearing a line right down the center, splintering me in half.

"I'll find you," I repeated, my voice far away.

"Please, Bella," he moaned quietly. " _Please_ understand. I _want_ you to be free. You know I never wanted this life for you. You deserve better than that. But I was too weak to stay away from you. Fate has intervened to save you, Bella. Don't fight it, please."

I shook my head again, climbing into his lap. He wrapped his arms around me, and I could feel his whole body shaking as he wept tearlessly. I finally realized that I was crying, as well. When had that started?

"I'm sorry, I'm so sorry," he whispered into my hair. "I'm doing this wrong. I wish I could have lied, I wish I could have convinced you that I don't love you anymore. But you wouldn't have believed me."

"Of course not," I said quickly, wiping my nose on my sleeve.

"It would have been easier for you that way," he said darkly. "I wish I could have done that, for you. I should have. But it doesn't change the truth, Bella. I have to go."

I froze in his arms. "You mean… now? Right now?"

He nodded. "We have a lot to do tonight. I need to get back."

I was going to lose him. I was going to lose him _now_. My head began spinning again, and a new horror hit me. "I won't get to see the others, will I?"

"No. I'm sorry, but there's no time. And the town is neutral territory- I'm in danger being here at all."

He released me and stood up. The sudden absence of his embrace burned my arms, my insides. The fire raged within me, splintering me into broken fragments. I wrapped my own arms around myself, holding as tight as I could to hold the pieces together. I needed to be strong, for Edward. I would wait until he left to fall apart. I would do this for him.

"I love you, Bella," he choked out, his whole body trembling now, and his jaw clenched as he spoke. "I will always love you. Please, remember that."

"And what about _my_ love?" I mumbled.

He smiled, finally, a weak imitation of the carefree smirk that I loved. "You're human, Bella. Your feelings can change. You will move on, someday. You will forget. You don't know how much I _envy_ you for that ability."

I shook my head again. Did he still not understand? But if I protested again, it would only hurt him more. He laid his hand gently on my face, and then leaned down, kissing my forehead so gently that I wouldn't have felt it, if his lips hadn't been trembling.

"Goodbye, Bella."

I looked up, working up the strength to say goodbye, to tell him one more time that I loved him. That I would carry my love forever, too. That someday, we would find each other again. That I would wait until I died.

But I was alone.

He was gone.

Edward was gone.


	30. Hope

**BPOV**

When I realized he wasn't coming back, I finally let go and allowed the fire to consume me. I gasped aloud as the pieces inside me finally shattered, leaving a gaping hole in my chest. I gripped the mattress edge, and just sat there, staring at the window, unmoving and unthinking as the fire raged on, burning the edges of the hole inside me until it grew impossibly larger.

He was gone.

In less than ten minutes, my world had just ended.

I don't know how long I sat there. By the time I blinked, it was completely dark outside. I shook my head, forcing myself to think. I couldn't just sit here! I had to do something! I had to stop him! The pain in my chest receded as my mind began to race. The pain would be back, I knew. But right now I needed to think. But what could I do that wouldn't make it worse? For one crazy moment, I had a plan going. I would drive to their house, and I would slice my arm open, right in front of Jasper. Maybe they would save me in time, and it would be too late to stop the venom. Then they'd _have_ to take me with them. Or maybe they wouldn't save me in time. What did it matter?

But it _did_ matter. I cursed Alice's stupid visions yet again. I didn't want _everyone_ to die. Not that I could have pulled it off, anyway. Alice would have seen me coming, and they would have hightailed it out of town, long before midnight. I glanced at the clock: 8:30. I had a good three hours, then. I had three hours to think of something, and to save my own life. I just had to keep my sanity for three more hours. And then, if I hadn't figured it out, I could lose my mind. The fire could consume the rest of me, and welcome.

I sat, unmoving again. But this time my mind was racing.

I was finally stirred by a _thump_ at the window. I jumped off the bed and ran, smiling stupidly, over to see him. He was back! It had all been a horrible dream, and he was going to climb up, grinning and ready to tell me the story about how he had broken the front door. It would probably have something to do with Emmett…

I reached the window, but my heart stopped when I poked out my head and looked down. Edward wasn't there, of course.

But Jacob _was_ there.

Jacob?

"I need to talk to you!" he hissed up at me.

I just looked down at my friend silently. My friend? No, this was not my friend. He and his kind were the reason that Edward couldn't stay with me. Jacob's father was half the reason that the Cullens had to leave! If Billy hadn't kept giving his stupid hints, maybe Charlie wouldn't have kept digging. Jacob was- or would soon be- the mortal enemy of the one person in the world who meant anything to me. Jacob's boyish face suddenly seemed to take on a sinister shade, and I slammed the window in disgust, turning away.

A few second later, the window rattled open and Jacob was standing in front of me.

"What?" I hissed, backing away from him. "What do _you_ want?"

He turned on the light. "Bella, something has-" he frowned as he took in my tear-stained face. "Oh. You already know."

"I heard. Now get out."

Now he just looked confused. "But if you know, then why are you still here?"

"Get out, Jacob! You can tell your mangy pack that he's gone. He's gone and he's not coming back." The tears finally returned, and I turned away from him, wiping my face furiously.

"Bella, listen to me for a minute!"

I spun back around, whispering as loud as I dared. "Why are you here, Jacob? Did they send you to guard the house? To make sure he wouldn't come back?" I desperately wanted to scream, but the last thing I needed was for Charlie to come upstairs. I needed to think, and Jacob was in my way. I didn't need Charlie in my way, too.

He held up his hands in defense. "Hey! I'm not the bad guy here. I tried, Bella! I told them there was no need to get nasty and end the treaty. But I'm not even a member of the pack yet, and they wouldn't listen. And back at the police station today, I told Charlie the Cullens were star citizens. I did my best, all right?"

I let out my hatred in a big whoosh of air. "Oh. Then… thank you."

I finally let him come to me, and he wrapped his arms around my shoulders, holding me up as my knees began to buckle. I cried in earnest for a minute, and then calmed down. "Thank you," I repeated as soon as I could get the words out. "I don't know why you'd want to help them, though. Aren't _you_ glad this happened?"

"No, I'm not," he said angrily. He started pacing the floor, running his fingers through his long hair. "I was practically raised to hate the Cullens. But after meeting them, and seeing how much you still care about them, knowing the truth… I don't know, I just don't see why I _have_ to hate them. If anything, my Dad is the one who I feel like I can't trust. He was the one egging Charlie on, half the time. And did the Cullens tell you how he tried to double-cross them the other day about the treaty?"

I just shook my head.

"Well anyway, my Dad had this plan that wasn't kosher, and it was only your boyfriend's mind reading that stopped him. And now, look! The Cullens are getting run out of town because they got exposed, and what do Sam and the council do? They throw a party! They get together and decide to call the blood- I mean, the vampires, and rub it in. Not only that, they decide to end the treaty just for kicks! I'll bet if the tables were turned, Dr. Cullen wouldn't be doing all this stuff to us. He'd probably try to help somehow."

A new wave of pain washed over me, hearing Carlisle's name. I wouldn't be seeing any of them... not even Carlisle and Esme. It was like losing my own parents. I had to get back to thinking. How long was Jacob going to talk?

"Anyway," he continued, turning around to resume his pacing, "I know I can't really be on the vampires' side, but… but the more I learn about this werewolf stuff, the more freaked out I get. It's like they have my whole life planned out for me! They're already assuming I'm not going back to school in the fall. And get this! I just found out about this mind-control thing that Sam does with the wolves. If he gives a command in some special kind of 'Alpha' voice, the wolves have to obey, no matter if they want to or not. He says it doesn't work on me yet because I haven't phased. He said it right to my face! Oh, he went on about how he didn't want the responsibility, and he only does it for the good of the tribe, and blah, blah, blah… But I'm telling you, Bella, this stuff is weird. I practically have a bomb ticking inside me, and when it goes off, I'm not only going to explode into an animal, now I find out I'm going to lose my free will! Ugh!" He flopped down backwards onto my bed, his trembling hands at odds with the fear and disgust on his face. I backed away, waiting until he calmed down to spoke.

"Wow, Jake," I said, finally losing my patience. "That really sucks. But if you're not here to gloat, or chase him off, why _are_ you here?"

He took a deep breath, glancing out the window as if he thought Sam was going to jump out and stop him.

"I'm here because you're my friend, Bella. I want to help."

"Help what?"

"Help _you_. I want you to be happy. And as much as I hate to admit it, I know that that means getting Edward back. So, let's get him back."

I just stared at him, waiting for the punch line.

But he just got up and started pacing the room. "Okay, so tell me everything. Why aren't they just taking you with them?"

I finally stirred to life. "Alice had a vision about that. I guess me disappearing made everything too suspicious, and got the police more riled up. Anyway, if we do that, the Volturi will get involved and we'll all get killed."

"You lost me. Who are the Volturi?"

"They're like the vampire government. They go around killing vampires who expose the secret to the humans."

"Well, it's not like the police know anything about _that_ , right? I thought Charlie just found out about the fake identities."

"No, I think he found something else too. Edward said something about their lack of aging. I guess if I went with them, the case would get bigger and somehow the Volturi would find out about the immortality thing being exposed."

"And you all die," he said helpfully.

"Yeah."

"This sucks! I mean, none of this has even happened yet!"

I sat down on my bed, watching Jacob start pacing again. He was talking too loud, and his feet clopped on the floor- so different from Edward's quiet stealth. But I could hear Charlie's baseball game coming up through the floorboards, and I knew he wouldn't hear us.

"Well, I did have an idea, but it's not going to work."

He turned. "What idea?"

I blushed. "I was going to sneak over there and make myself bleed like crazy- right in front of Jasper. He's the one who has the most trouble resisting, so I figure by the time they stop him, the venom will be doing its job, and then they're _have_ to take me with them."

He scowled in disgust. "That's a stupid idea, Bella. It's a good thing I came over."

"Well, I'm not really going to _do_ it. Besides the whole we-all-die thing, I could never pull it off. Alice would know as soon I decided to do it."

He folded his arms, smirking. "No, she wouldn't. Like I said, it's a good thing I came over."

"What?"

He spread his arms, posing like a game show host. "Alice shield, at your service! Now come on, let's think of a _real_ plan."

I smiled- it felt odd, like I shouldn't be allowed to smile right now. But having Jacob on my side did give me enough hope to keep going. Edward might be my life, but Jacob sure knew how to be my sunshine. And knowing that Alice couldn't see me _did_ make it easier to think. The pain was receding further, and my head was clearing. "Thanks, Jake," I sighed. "Thanks for doing this."

"Hey, what are friends for, if not to right the injustice done to good vampires?" His smile twisted, settling into a rebellious smirk. "Besides, this is my own little way of sticking it to the man, before I lose my free will. According to Sam, I'm going to 'understand' as soon as I start phasing. Therefore, I refuse to understand as long as possible. So, plan number two is…?"

Now _I_ flopped down backwards onto the bed. "Okay," I said to the ceiling. "Let's be logical here. They have to leave because the State Police are coming tomorrow, and the Police are coming tomorrow because Charlie tipped them off."

"Okay, so why don't you convince him to un-tip them off?"

"How am I supposed to do that?"

He rolled his eyes. "By telling him the truth?"

"The truth about what? That the reason the Cullens have false identities is because they don't age? Because they're _vampires_?"

He shrugged. "Yeah, that's about it, I guess."

I scowled. "Now who's got the stupid plan? Next."

He crossed the room and sat beside me. "No, I'm serious! It's not like you need to tell him everything. Just enough to get him to call off the cops."

"Jake, he already thinks they're criminals. How is telling him that they're blood-drinking monsters supposed to help?!"

He flopped down next to me. "Hey, you're the brains of this outfit. You figure it out."

"It's not like he would believe me, anyway. He knows I've been lying to him."

"He'll believe _me_. I'll tell him that this is what the elders have been hiding from him the whole time. And if he calls my Dad to get me committed, Dad will have to tell him the truth."

"You can't do that. The treaty, remember?"

He shrugged again. "What treaty? The wolves want it cancelled, it's cancelled. And why not break it a third time, anyway?"

"Okay, let's say we can get him to believe us. He'll have a heart attack!"

Jacob rubbed his chin thoughtfully. "I see your point. Dead Charlie can't call off the cops." I just smacked him. "Okay, so we tell him slowly. Lead up to the vampire thing, you know? My point is, once he understands the reasons for the fraud stuff, and the fake abuse stuff, he'll know that they're not evil, and he'll call off the cops."

"Right," I snorted, but my mind was spinning. What if we _did_ tell him? It would be breaking the Volturi's number one law. Edward's warning from the other day came back to haunt me.

_It wouldn't be easier. Charlie would feel even more obligated to keep me away from you. And he would also feel the need to protect the town against us- it's his job as the Chief of Police. And that kind of thing attracts attention. It's bad enough that you know the truth about us. Don't you remember what I told you about the Volturi?_

I shivered. Every lie I had ever told Charlie had been to protect him. Every time I had wanted to confide in him, the words had burnt to a crisp in my mouth, because I loved him. I didn't want him to be in danger, or to even have that burden of knowing the truth, and feeling obligated to do something because of his job. But the real fear had been the most selfish one – that the truth would turn him fully against Edward. If I was honest with myself, that was really the reason I had been able to keep up the lies.

That reason was gone now. Edward was leaving at midnight.

Could I change that? Could I convince Charlie of the truth, with Jacob to back me up?

More importantly, was I willing to do that to Charlie? I really didn't know how he would react. He would either see the light, and try to undo the damage he had done today, or he would decide that he didn't want his daughter around vampires, and call the Marines. Not that the Marines could hurt the Cullens… but the publicity _would_ hurt them. Edward had hinted to me before that the Volturi didn't like big, talented covens. It wouldn't take much to get them swooping in here and killing _all_ of us, like Edward had said when I wanted to come with him. Only this time, Charlie would be on the hit list, as well. Even if he reacted well, and undid the mess, could I trust him to keep quiet? This had never been my secret to tell.

That was what it boiled down to, then. Was I willing to risk Charlie, and everyone else getting killed? Did I love Edward so much that I was willing for everyone I loved to face death, just so we could be together?

I gasped aloud, the realization shocking me.

I _was_ willing.

I was willing to risk my own _father_ to keep Edward! Somewhere in my brain, I knew that this was irrelevant – if Charlie got killed for this, Edward and I would too. At least I wouldn't be sacrificing _only_ Charlie. But the realization about the _power_ of my need for Edward was still sinking in. Had I really become that obsessed with him? What kind of sick person did this make me? Was I even worthy of his love, if I was willing to do stuff like this, just to keep him? My cheeks grew hot as the final epiphany hit me.

I didn't care.

I didn't care if this made me unworthy of Edward. He was always talking about how he was a monster, and I was an angel. So what if the truth was really the reverse? So what if I wanted him so much that I let it twist me into some kind of monster? The point was, I needed him. And if he had been telling the truth tonight, he still needed me. Suddenly, I felt cold all over. What if this would be too much for him? He was like Carlisle – so infuriatingly moral that he would never suspect this of me. What if he couldn't love me after this?

I swallowed.

There was only one way to find out.

I sat up on the bed, tugging at Jacob's arm as I headed for the door.

"Come on," I muttered. "We've got a treaty to break."


	31. Disclosure

**BPOV**

About halfway down the stairs, I spun around and stuck my hands on Jacob's chest, stopping his descent. "You need to go back out and come in the front door," I whispered. "We don't need to start this out by explaining why you've suddenly appeared in my bedroom."

"Gotcha," Jacob replied, and headed back up the stairs.

I found Charlie on the couch, still watching the game. But instead of sprawling in comfort, like he usually did, he was sitting up straight, his head perched on his hands and his attention obviously _not_ on the game. I glanced at the clock on the VCR, wincing when I saw that it was already 9:15.

"Dad?" I said quietly. "Can I talk to you for a minute?"

He startled out of his deep thought, and spilled his beer all over the arm of the couch. "Oh! Geez, Bella, when you get there?"

"I need to talk to you about something," I repeated, trying to keep the impatience out of my voice.

"Sure, kid. Just hold on a minute," he threw over his shoulder as he ran to the kitchen. He returned in a moment with the roll of paper towels, and began blotting the couch as he nodded to the easy chair. "Okay, Bells, what's on your mind?"

I sat down, trying to get my face into some combination of confidence and respect. "It's about Edward," I began, watching Charlie's face. He tensed and started scrubbing the couch furiously. "And all the Cullens. It's kind of important. I know that you've been kind of wondering about them for a while…"

"Bells, listen to me," he interrupted gruffly. "Those people are no good, okay? I found out some stuff about them, and I think it's best if we give them some space. There's some, uh… legal problems going on."

"I know," I said quietly. I took a deep breath, but I was saved by a loud knock at the door. "That's Jacob! I asked him to come over," I said, leaping up to get it. Charlie just frowned when Jacob entered the room.

"I thought you wanted to talk to me about something, but okay. I just don't want you and Jacob going anywhere tonight. Jake, you can hang out here if you want."

Jacob looked at me, giving me a little nod of encouragement. "I asked Jacob to come over because he's part of the… uh, the talk." I felt my face growing hot, and no doubt, bright red. Was I really about to do this?

Charlie looked back and forth between us, looking suspicious. "What do you need him for? What's this about, Bella?"

I sat back down in the easy chair, and Jacob plopped down on the rug. "Okay, here's the thing, Dad. I know that you found out some odd things about the Cullens today."

Charlie's eyes snapped over to Jacob, who held his hands up in defense. "It's okay, Charlie, just listen to what she has to say, all right?"

"I also know," I continued as I licked my dry lips, "that you called the State Police and that they're coming in the morning. I-"

Charlie sat up straight. "How would you know about that? I haven't told anyone, not even Billy."

"The 'how' part isn't really important," I said quickly. "The important thing is, I want to explain to you why the Police don't need to come. So please, just let me talk for a minute before you respond, okay?"

Charlie sighed. "Bella, listen. I didn't want you to find out this way. And I wish I didn't have to take this to the next level, but I do. What they've done- what they're doing to _you_ , I can't just ignore it! I mean, look at your face! Look at your arm!"

"My face?" I raised my hand up to my cheek, and winced at the tenderness. "Oh, that. Volleyball."

"And the arm was actually my fault," Jacob put in. "It was an accident."

"Now _you're_ sticking up for him?" Charlie spat out at Jacob. His face was already getting red, and I bit my lip. This wasn't going the way I had planned.

"Dad… please. I'll explain all that later. I told you before that Edward wasn't hurting me, and that's the truth. The important thing is, the Cullens aren't bad. In fact, they're the nicest people I've ever met. It's just that they're not exactly the _same_ as other people." I took another deep breath, looking at Jacob with a _help me_ look.

"Charlie, what Bella is trying to say is that she's ready to tell you the truth. The same truth that my dad and the elders have been hiding. Remember today in the station when you wanted me to tell you what I knew?"

Charlie nodded suspiciously.

"Well, my dad didn't want me to say anything. But this is getting out of hand, and the Cullens deserve better than this. I think you need to know the truth, so please listen, okay? It's a little complicated." Charlie nodded again, more slowly this time.

"Okay, here goes," I said nervously. "The Cullens aren't like… regular people. It's nothing bad, but it's the reason that they need to get a little creative with their identities."

"Okay… I'm listening," Charlie said grimly.

"It's kind of a… a medical issue," I began slowly.

Jacob snorted. "I was going to say _magical_ , but okay." I glared at him, and he shrugged.

I looked back at Charlie. "Their bodies have been… changed, in a way. They don't age like normal people." The blood drained out of Charlie's face, and he leaned forward eagerly.

"I found a picture of Edward online today," he said in a faltering voice. "It was taken back in 1980, but it was him. He was _exactly_ the same as now. You're telling me that they're all like that?"

I nodded. "And this… um, medical change, it also affects their skin. That's why they're so pale. The sun bothers them. So, anyway, the not-aging thing is the reason that they have to move around a lot, and the reason that they have to tweak their records. I'm guessing you found some things that didn't match up about that?"

"Yeah. But that doesn't make it legal. Why don't they just report the medical condition?"

"It's kind of a secret. It's something that they can't talk about."

He frowned. "You mean like a secret agent thing?"

"No, nothing like that. It's a matter of… prejudice. If people found out the truth about their condition, they wouldn't be welcome anywhere. But it's not because the Cullens themselves are bad, it's just the… stories."

"And those stories are the reason that my Dad doesn't like the Cullens," Jacob offered. "But I _know_ the Cullens, Charlie. These stories are true about some other people, but not about them. Does that make sense so far?"

"I think so," Charlie said slowly. "Okay, so they all have some kind of medical condition that changed their bodies, and this condition has some kind of… bad reputation? And the Quileutes hate the Cullens because of this reputation?"

I nodded. This was going well.

"And they've stopped aging, and this is why they have to use false identities."

"Exactly. Which is why I want you to call off the cops." Maybe I wouldn't need to tell the rest, after all. I waited hopefully while Charlie scratched the back of his head.

"Well…" he began slowly, "That's all very interesting, Bells. But no matter what the reason, I can't let the identity fraud alone. And I also have to report the non-aging thing that I found. I can't just pretend I didn't find it. I have a job to do."

"I know, but I'm asking you to sit on this one, Dad. For me."

He crossed his arms. "No. For one thing, you still haven't explained all the injuries. Was that story you gave me about the hiking accident even true?"

I hesitated for just a second, catching Jacob's eye. Could we do this without telling the full truth?

"Charlie," Jacob said quickly, "The reason we want you to call off the cops is because this stuff is kind of outside the scope of the law. You don't need to feel bad about it. The Cullen's don't exactly have a _medical_ condition. They have a _mythical_ condition."

Charlie leaned back into the couch. "Okay, you just lost me. Now you want me to believe they're not _real_?"

I glanced at the clock, tapping my foot. "No, not imaginary. Mythical. As in… you know, mythical creatures?"

Charlie snorted. "What, like werewolves and zombies and fairies?"

Jacob coughed, and I let out a loud whoosh of air. It was time. "Sort of like that, Dad. You see, each of the Cullens used to be a normal human, but they got changed into… something."

"And that something would be…?"

I took a deep breath, and in my peripheral vision, I saw Jacob leaning forward, waiting. "They're vampires, Dad. The Cullens are vampires. But they're _good_ ones. I promise they don't-"

I frowned as Charlie burst out laughing, interrupting me.

"It's not funny," Jacob growled, and Charlie only laughed louder.

"I'm sorry," he finally said, after he had quieted down. "You're right, it's not funny. It's just that if you were going to make something up to get them out of trouble, you should have picked something a little more believable, that's all."

"It's true," Jacob muttered. "This is what my Dad has been hiding from you. Our people have a treaty with the Cullens, and my Dad wasn't allowed to tell you the truth, because of the treaty."

"What, the Quileutes are vampires, too, now?" Charlie demanded, and I groaned. What I wouldn't give for Edward's mind reading right now. Did Charlie believe _anything_ we had said?

Jacob frowned and looked helplessly at me.

"Assuming I believed you, which I _don't_ ," Charlie added as he glared at me, "this only makes the case against them stronger. Why would this make me want to call off the Police? If I believed you, I would do the opposite! I'd call the Marines, the National Guard!"

"As I was trying to explain before," I said impatiently. "They're not _bad_ vampires. Remember what I said before? Vampires have a reputation as being bad and scary, but the Cullens _aren't_ like that. They don't hurt people, they only-"

Charlie stood up. "All right, I've heard enough. Jacob, I'm going to have to ask you to leave. Bella's obviously not feeling well."

"But it's true!" argued Jacob. "If you don't believe us, call my Dad! He knows all about it, too."

"Because he's a vampire, too, right?" Charlie said scathingly. "You know, Jake, I thought you had a pretty good head on your shoulders, but I think it's pretty rotten of you to make jokes about your own people! Your Dad would be ashamed of you!"

"Then call him," I challenged. "And Billy's not a vampire, he's a regular human. It's only some of the Quileutes that are-"

Jacob cleared his throat, staring at me in warning.

"-are different," I finished lamely. "Anyway, we're talking about the Cullens right now."

"So go ahead," Jacob encouraged. "Call him. He'll back us up."

"You bet I'm calling your Dad," Charlie said, his face growing red. "Because this sick joke has gone on long enough. It's bad enough that Bella feels she has to protect them, after what that little-" His jaw worked as he looked at me. His eyes softened, and he lowered his voice. "Look, Jacob. I don't know what your part is in all this. But the Cullens have obviously done something to my daughter. She needs help, and I want you to leave, okay? Just let me handle this."

Jacob stood, but instead of leaving, he planted his feet and crossed his arms stubbornly. "Call my Dad," he repeated again. "We're telling you to the truth, Charlie. The Cullens really are vampires, and they'd never hurt anyone. I mean, my Dad doesn't like them, but even he'll vouch for their record."

Charlie just looked back and forth between us, obviously trying to control his temper again. "Fine," he growled. "I'll call Billy. But as soon as he shoots down your monster story, I want you out of here, Jacob. You understand?"

Jacob nodded stiffly. Charlie dialed Billy's number and I glanced nervously at the clock. How much time did we have? Just because the Cullens had to be gone by midnight didn't mean they would stay that long.

"Hey, Billy, it's Charlie. I'm calling because Jacob's here, and-" he paused, and looked up at Jacob with a frown. "Yeah. And he's trying to spin some story about the Cullens being some kind of monsters or vampires or whatever. He says they're actually nice, and that I should-" There was a longer pause, and Charlie's frown deepened. He crossed the room and stuck his hand on Jacob's forehead. "Yeah, you're right. I'll bring him home."

He planted the phone on his shoulder to muffle it. "Jacob, your dad said that you were delirious when you had your fever the other day, and it looks like it's back again. So let's just all calm down and-"

"I don't believe this!" Jacob growled, grabbing the phone from Charlie. "Dad, listen to me. I want you to tell Charlie the truth." He paused, listening. "No, I'm not coming home! This is wrong, Dad! The Cullens have never done anything to deserve this!" Another pause, and Jacob's face grew darker. "Because it's the right thing to do! And she's my friend! If you would just-"

Jacob's hands started to shake as he listened to whatever Billy was saying. "You want to talk about _monsters_? A monster is someone who doesn't keep their word, and who doesn't tell his own son the truth. A _monster_ is someone who takes advantage of people when they… no, I don't need to calm down! I need you to tell Charlie the _truth_!"

The vibrations were moving up Jacob's arms now, and I tensed. I had never seen _that_ before. Charlie moved toward Jacob, holding up his hands in a peaceable gesture.

"No! Stay back, Dad!" I hissed, grabbing his arm.

" _Now_ what?" he groaned. He threw my hands off and headed toward Jacob again, who was yelling into the phone now.

Suddenly Jacob dropped the phone and clutched his stomach, looking up at Charlie and I with fear in his eyes. The trembling had reached his legs now, and I could see twitches rippling across his face. "I can't…"he choked out, and his whole body began shaking violently. Sweat began pouring down his face, and his features began to blur.

"Dad, we have to get out!" I screamed, and I plowed into Charlie, making both of us tumble over each other into the hallway. As soon as we hit the floor, there was a tearing and crashing sound.

"What the…!" Charlie scrambled to his feet and headed back into the living room.

"Dad, wait!" I followed him back in, and ran right into his back; he had frozen stiff right in the doorway, his eyes wide. The living room was in shambles, and the couch had been sliced to ribbons. There was shredded denim lying in pieces everywhere, and a huge, shaggy wolf with red-brown fur was backing into the corner, shaking its head from side to side. Jacob! There was no mistaking the eyes.

"He wants us to stay back," I warned Charlie, grabbing his arm again.

He finally let me pull him back out of the room, stumbling over his own feet. "Wh- what do you mean, _he_? Where did that… that _thing_ come from, and where's Jacob?" His hand flew to his waist, no doubt searching for his gun.

"Dad, that _is_ Jacob. He's kind of a werewolf," I said flatly, trying to keep the terror out of my voice. "Remember I said some of the Quileutes are different?" I tried not to let him see the nausea that was threatening to spill over. Jacob had just phased in our living room! Was he okay? Was this my fault, again? And now that it had happened, would Jacob be… different? Edward had seemed to think that once Jacob phased, he would hate vampires, as well. Had I just lost a friend, and gained an enemy?

"I don't believe it," Charlie breathed. "Werewolves are… real?"

I shrugged, trying to look relaxed. "Sure. And so are vampires. _Now_ do you believe me?"

He swallowed. "Maybe."

"Hey, guys!" Jacob called from the living room. "I'm all right, come back in!"

"Jacob?" I ran back into the living room. Sure enough, there was human Jacob. He was standing in the center of the room, wrapping Charlie's old blanket around his waist as he tried to catch his breath. He grinned over to me, and I gasped. He had grown! He was a good three inches taller than before, and his face looked like he had aged several years. "Jacob?" I asked again, nervously inching towards him.

"Still me," he said, grinning even more. "That was… _awesome_! Hey, did you get shorter?"

"Being a werewolf is awesome?" Charlie asked weakly. He reached behind himself for the easy chair, and sank down into it.

"Oh, man, Charlie, I'm sorry about the couch," Jacob said, his grin disappearing. "And the lamp, and the wall…" I finally saw the rest of the damage. One whole side of the room was smashed, and there were gashes in the wall that matched the ones on the couch.

"S'okay," Charlie mumbled distractedly, turning back to me. "So… vampires, huh?"

" _Good_ vampires," I reminded him, glancing back at Jacob nervously. Would he still think the Cullens were worth defending?

"That's what we meant about the reputation thing," Jacob said, and I sighed in relief. "Vampires are usually known for… you know, sucking people's blood. But the Cullens aren't like that." Even as he spoke, Jacob was looking curiously at his own hands, and reaching up to touch the new muscles that had suddenly appeared on his shoulders. His grin was returning already.

Charlie gasped. Apparently he hadn't thought of the blood thing until now. "So, Edward… all of them… ugh!"

"Remember, I said they don't hurt people at all," I said quickly. "They only drink animal blood. And I'm going to explain about the injuries now, okay?" Charlie nodded suspiciously. "Edward's skin- all their skin- is different from ours. It's kind of like granite, and it's hard and cold, usually. But in the sun it can heat up like rocks do, and it kind of… sparkles, and reflects the light. Anyway, last week, Edward and I were relaxing in the sun and I fell asleep next to him for awhile. When I woke up, I had gotten kind of a sunburn from the places I was touching his skin. It had heated up more than either of us expected, and that's how I got burned. I lied to you, because I didn't want to scare you. I'm telling you all this now because I don't want Edward to leave. They haven't done anything wrong, and nobody is hurting me. That's the truth."

I watched Charlie's face carefully. He just looked sick. "What about the new ones?"

"Like I said, the handprint was me," Jacob said reluctantly. "And I'm really sorry about that, Bella." He turned back to Charlie. "I'm kind of new at this werewolf thing, and I don't know my own strength sometimes. I was angry because I thought Edward was hurting her, like you did. I was holding her arm, looking at the burns, and I got upset and held her arm a little too hard. But that was before I knew the truth about the vampires, and even about myself. I know now that the bl- that Edward wouldn't hurt her on purpose. I wouldn't say he's my best friend or anything, but I have to admit, he's okay." I smiled and nodded to Jacob, thanking him silently.

"And the face?" Charlie asked quietly.

I smiled sheepishly. "That really was a volleyball. Remember my friends and I were playing yesterday?"

"Okay, but what about the other injuries? Back in Phoenix? And don't tell me you fell out of a window, because I'm not going to believe that one anymore."

I bit my lip, hesitating. I had been hoping he wouldn't ask that one. "Okay, try not to get mad, but I was… kind of attacked by a vampire. The bad kind. Edward saved me, and Carlisle patched me up. That was a fluke, though," I said quickly as his face reddened. "It's very rare for the Cullens to run into _that_ kind of vampire. That was just bad luck… you know me."

Charlie wiped his forehead again, his breath coming in short gasps. "Dad, I know this is a lot to take in," I said quietly, taking his hand. "And I'm sorry to push all this on you so fast. But we're running out of time. The Cullens are leaving town any minute, and if you don't call off the Police, I'll never see Edward again. I love him, Dad. And now that you know about his secret, you can get to know him better. He's amazing. I'll tell you all about him, but _please_ , first can you help us out?"

He frowned. "I don't know, Bells. Just because they _told_ you that they don't hurt people…"

"Look," Jacob said. "Look at me. Werewolves have a reputation too, but do I look like a killer? You can always call the Police again another day. Just do this, and then you can talk to the Cullens all you want, all right? Make the call, and then we'll answer any questions you have."

"Well… I guess…"

I jumped up, throwing my arms around my father. Telling him the truth had felt surprisingly _good_. "Thank you, Charlie! You won't regret this! Just let me call Edward really quick, okay? I want him to know that they don't have to leave." I wasn't sure whether Alice would be able to see Charlie's intentions, with Jacob being here.

Charlie nodded uncomfortably, and I grabbed the phone, calling Edward's cell. "Just give me a minute," I said as I waited. But my heart sank as the operator's shrill voice made its announcement: _The number you are trying to reach is no longer in service._

I turned the phone off and on quickly, calling Alice's number: same thing. Their house phone: the same.

"What's wrong?" Charlie asked gruffly.

"I can't reach them. We have to go, now!" I said frantically, running to get the keys to Charlie's cruiser. Charlie heaved a sigh and stood up.

"Fine. But Jacob, for God's sake, let me get you some clothes." He headed upstairs, and I sat in the living room, bouncing my knees nervously while we waited.

"So… you're okay?" I asked Jacob. "Did it hurt?"

"Nah," he said casually. "Just felt weird. I think I could do it on purpose now, if I wanted to. The coolest part was-"

"Okay, here you go," Charlie said as he tossed Jacob a pair of jeans and a T-shirt. Charlie and I headed out the door, and Jacob joined us after a few seconds.

"Can't believe I'm doing this," grumbled Charlie as he pulled out of the driveway. "All for _Edward_. Ugh."

I smiled nervously. If we pulled this off, my father and my boyfriend might actually get along. But first we had to get there on time.

**A/N: I want to explain how Jacob can still be Cullen-friendly. (I've already explained before why I didn't continue the love triangle) In this timeline, Jacob's situation is a lot like Bella's was, when she was finally changed. She already knew what to expect, and she knew that that thirst was going to be there. As a result of that foreknowledge, she was unusually well-controlled and not panicky like a normal newborn. And I don't think that her self-control was really a "talent", because her shield was her talent, and we never heard about any vampires having two talents. So, same deal with Jacob here. He knew what to expect in terms of phasing, and he had already formed his opinions about vampires. Therefore, he didn't automatically start hating them, and he was able to phase back easily, because he wasn't in panic mode regarding his phase, like he would have been in the real timeline.**

**So, kudos to all the readers who guessed that Charlie would find out! That was actually the original reason for this story. It only developed into a much bigger, more dramatic story because of all the encouraging reviews. You guys rock and I've had a blast writing this one! A couple (or maybe a few?) chapters to go, and we'll have our happy ending :)**

**Another great Charlie-finds-out story is "Exposure" by Aromene. Go check it out!**


	32. Preparations

**EPOV**

With each step I took away from Bella's house, the pain grew. I had intended to stay with her for longer, but when she had hopefully suggested the Florida solution, I had been nearly undone. Florida! Not an ideal solution, but it was better than anything my family and I had come up with. She would only have to wait the rest of the summer, and then convince Charlie that she wanted to be back with her mother. I would have been able to see her again in less than six weeks. It had taken most of my willpower to lie to her then, to tell her that it wouldn't work.

And then, near the end when I had finally allowed myself to hold her- that had been the end of my strength. I had finally wept with her, my arms quivering with tension as I forced myself to remain gentle, and not crush her spine with the force of my sorrow. The thought that I had almost hurt her was enough to keep me sane, and what had finally helped me to release her. At that moment, I knew I only had seconds left before I broke down and admitted my lie. I knew that if I stayed even a minute longer, I would fall to my knees and beg her forgiveness, beg her to go ahead with the Florida plan. I would give her the promise of seeing her again soon.

But I had done it. I had said my goodbye, and I had propelled myself backwards out of her window while her eyes were still closed, knowing that I couldn't look into her eyes again without breaking down. I had hit the ground running, and as I ran, the fire in my chest grew until it was white hot, carving an empty space where Bella had been. I ran faster, my fevered mind thinking that it would put out the flames. But the opposite was true. The farther I got from her, the hotter the fire burned.

I was running blindly now, and I slammed face-first into a tree, splintering it with a resounding _crack._ I lay like a dead man where I fell, unable to move again. I don't know how long I laid there, curiously watching the insects as they went about their evening scurry. How odd to think that they were able to go about their little lives, when I had just turned my own inside out. Didn't they know? Didn't they care that I would never see Bella again?

As I thought her name, I closed my eyes in grief as the words I had spoken echoed in my ears. _This has to be the end._ I wouldn't have eternity with my love. I wouldn't have the seventy years that I had finally dared to hope for. I wouldn't even have the four years that I had, up until last week, been arrogantly expecting. I had _nothing_.

I gasped as the next realization hit me. I didn't even have the plan that had been comforting me all along! Back when I expected her to tire of me after a few years, I had always known that I wouldn't truly leave her; I was always going to stay in the shadows, watching her and protecting her for the rest of her life. Now I couldn't even do that! If I attempted to stay anywhere near Forks, I would be torn limb from limb. A growl rumbled in my chest, and not for the first time, I wished that we had destroyed the wolves back in 1936. The treaty had been a complete concession on our side; we only did it because we didn't feel like moving again so soon. It certainly wasn't for our _protection_. We could have killed the whole pack back then easily.

And by the time Carlisle had negotiated the new treaty expiration on Monday, I had convinced myself that Bella might, just possibly, have it within her to love me for longer than I had previously thought. And so the new treaty parameters didn't really concern me; what did it matter if I couldn't stay near Forks, if Bella and I would be together?

But now, things had changed. We _wouldn't_ be together. _And we shouldn't be_ , I thought grimly. I had to remember that I had done this for her. That it was _good_ that this had happened, so that Bella would be able to live a life free of my interference. Fate had given me the chance to only give Bella the slightest lie; God knows I never would have been able to manage more than that.

I held my head in my hands, reminding myself of all the reasons that I needed to stay out of Bella's life forever. The danger to her life. The protection of her soul. The malignant nature of my love. The power of my obsession.

Of course, it might be possible to find Bella again, in a few years. I doubted that she would stay near Forks forever. I might be able to follow through on that plan of loving her from afar… but as quickly as that spark of hope arose, I snuffed it out. Who was I kidding? I would never be able to love Bella from _afar_. How had I ever thought that it would be possible? There were a thousand scenarios that would "require" me to reveal myself- and I would no doubt take the first one that presented itself. No, I knew how weak I was now. The only way to keep myself out of Bella's life was to stay _away_ from it. I could never allow myself to see her again.

I roared in pain as this last hope left me, and the forest echoed with the sound of my anguish.

.

.

.

I had no intention of ever standing up again. Why bother? The wolves would find me eventually, and that would be that. There was really no point in delaying it, anymore. I could only hope that Jacob wouldn't be cruel enough to tell Bella what had happened.

But fate intervened again, and my pocket buzzed. I numbly took the phone out and stared at it in confusion. What did the buzzing mean, again? On the frayed edges of my sanity, I recalled that I should open the phone. I did so, and my fingers automatically opened the text that had just arrived.

_It's getting late, and Jasper wants to disable the phone plans. I'm sorry for the rush, but I need you home._

My mind cleared. This was my father, Carlisle. No doubt Alice had already told everyone what I had done- but that didn't matter. I reluctantly stood and began running for home; my depression would have to wait. My family needed me.

.

.

.

When I arrived, it was obvious that my family knew what had happened with Bella, but that they were too busy to do much about it. Everyone was busy with their preparations for our departure; it was much like the times we had had to evacuate after one of Emmett's or Jasper's accidents. The goal in these situations was to leave behind a normal human home, complete with furniture and food, but with every personal touch erased. We had done it before, though it had been several years. Experience, and Alice's visions, had taught us that it was best to do this. The less evidence there was, the more quickly the Police would lose interest.

While I had been gone, Jasper had been erasing all web-based evidence of our residence in Forks. We might not have time to erase our paper trail like we usually did, but that wouldn't be a problem; both the school and the hospital had recently switched over to electronic records. The only hard evidence of our existence would be our tax records in the town hall, and there was really no point in confiscating those.

Alice and Jasper were sitting on the couch like twin statues. Jasper was fine-tuning the travel plan, using rapid-fire decisions and Alice's gift to solidify our route. Rosalie was out in the garage, collecting our personal items from all of the vehicles and adding them to the fire that she had built in the backyard. Emmett had hauled The Phone, all the extra computers and any other personalized electronics outside and was destroying them, scattering the bits throughout the woods behind our house. Esme was upstairs, packing all of our backpacks with the few items we would take with us: Jasper's master laptop, Carlisle's basic med kit, currency for several different countries, a new set of cell phones waiting to be activated, extra clothes and shoes, her cookbook, and the family photos that we always brought along. I saw through her eyes that she had divided my and Carlisle's journals throughout the backpacks, and she had also packed my human's mother's jewelry box. I had left many of my family's heirlooms back in the house in Chicago, but I always liked to keep my mother's jewels close at hand.

Emmett held out one of his hands as I passed by him, and I reluctantly handed him my phone, which he promptly smashed into smithereens, holding his hand out again with a frown. He knew, then, that I hadn't given Jasper's phone to Bella. I met his disapproving gaze as I dug the remains of Jasper's phone out of my other pocket, and tossed them onto the pile of electronic garbage.

I continued into the house, to find Carlisle talking on the house phone. He had called the hospital to announce his sudden departure, his words a mixture of apology and excitement regarding the research position he would begin in Philadelphia next week. As he saw me enter the room, his eyes bored into mine in anger, but they softened immediately as he took in my haggard appearance.

"What do you want me to do?" I asked lifelessly.

Carlisle didn't miss a beat as he continued his phone conversation, mentally giving me instructions. _Your main task is to go through our paper files. Give Esme anything we might want to keep and add everything else to the fire. After that I want you and Esme to head to one of the smaller grocers and get some perishable food to leave behind- Alice saw that our picnic leftovers aren't going to be convincing enough._

I nodded and flew up the stairs, heading into Carlisle's study and tearing the lock off of the nearest file cabinet. I began flipping through his papers at vampire speed, separating everything into "keep" and "destroy" piles. As I did so, I peeked in on Alice's mind, learning that the plan would be for her and Jasper to reunite with us in Northern Mongolia in eight days. Once we had the new identities, we would continue down into Siberia, and begin our new life. Alice was disappointed at our destination, but she had a rough estimate that we would be able to move down into one of the Russian towns after a couple of years.

In every vision I was with my family, and I was surprised at this. It wasn't that I was suicidal; it was just that I couldn't imagine _doing_ anything after this. I had only come home tonight to help; I wouldn't abandon my family in their need. I supposed I would come with them, at least until they were settled in Siberia. But I wasn't going to commit to anything after that. I was back where I had been before: the single vampire, among a family of three happily married couples. It had been bearable before, though I had struggled occasionally with my loneliness. But now? Could I go back to being alone among them, seeing their love all around me, their happiness unintentionally mocking my loss? Worse, could I stand to be around _Jasper_ , his gift screaming everyone's love and pity twenty-four hours a day?

I shuddered, and Alice broke out of her trance to mentally scold me. _Cut it out, Edward! This is complicated enough without you screwing with the future. I'm mad at you as it is. I can't fathom why you would do that to her! To yourself! Ugh!_ Thinking Bella's name made her automatically check Bella's future, and I steeled myself for the image that I would no doubt see: Bella, weeping.

But there was nothing; just blackness.

I dropped the papers and flew downstairs. "What is that?" I demanded.

Alice jumped defensively, and then frowned up at me. "You've seen it before. Werewolf, no doubt."

Rosalie appeared in the living room. "What's this about werewolves?" she asked angrily.

"Nothing," Alice growled, throwing me another dirty look. "Bella's future just disappeared. Since I didn't see anything bad happen, it's probably just a werewolf." She closed her eyes again, turning back to Jasper, who wanted to see if it was safe to use the new cell phones to call Jenks with our order, versus waiting until he and Alice would be down in Seattle tomorrow.

"Well, that didn't take long," Rosalie said sarcastically. I spun around, trying to hold back the growl that was threatening to erupt; Carlisle was still on the phone. _Really, Edward, what did you expect? She's obviously decided to go see her favorite mutt. She needs a friend right now, after what you did to her! And who else could she talk to about it? Not that HE'LL mind…_

My fist connected with her face before I could stop myself, and she flew backwards into the living room wall, smashing one side of the door frame like a toothpick. Carlisle hung up the phone and flew to my side along with Jasper, ready to tackle me for the second time today, if necessary. But I just sank quietly to the floor, muttering my apology to Rosalie as I grabbed my head in my hands. I felt like my brain was going to explode. Just the thought of Bella already going over to see that mangy-

No. _No._ This was exactly the kind of thing I couldn't do.

This was what I had chosen. This was what was best- Bella's life without me in it. If that meant she needed to find her solace in the dog, then so be it. Even if it meant that the two of them might-

A string of profanity sounded from the doorway. I looked up to see Emmett flying toward me, his eyes black and his teeth bared. _I can't believe you just did that! By the time Carlisle finds all the pieces..._ I closed my eyes, not really caring what he did to me.

"Stop, Emmett," Rosalie sighed as she extricated herself from the mangled wall.

"We don't have time for this," Carlisle sighed, looking at me sharply. "Edward, get back to work upstairs. Emmett, get back to work outside."

"Rosalie, I'm sorry," I murmured, ashamed. I had lived one hundred and four years and I had never hit a woman before. What was happening to me? I flew back upstairs, avoiding Carlisle's questioning thoughts. I buried myself in the paperwork, moving faster and faster through the second cabinet, the third. We had over eleven years of paper records saved up; it had been that long since we had been forced to move suddenly like this. The last time had been because Jasper had had an accident. I supposed this time it was my fault, but I didn't have the energy left to feel guilty about it.

I was mostly sorry for Alice and Rosalie; they hated it when we had to move away from civilization like this. Jasper would be sad for Alice, but happy for himself. We wouldn't be doing the school charade anytime soon, and he would have a break from the torment of his classmates' blood. It looked like Carlisle would find some medical work to do- it would be fine as long as he dyed his hair- but Alice had already seen that the rest of us would need to lay low for at least a couple of years. There was no evidence in her visions that our pictures would be circulated, at this point, beyond the United States; but she had seen an inquiry beginning out of Siberia if we were to all appear at once on the public scene there.

I was disappointed when I had finished with the paperwork so quickly. I was trying, for Alice's sake, to keep myself from thinking, or making any decisions about my future. This would be more difficult, now that I was done sorting through the files. I gathered up the "keep" pile and carried it to my parents' room, where Esme was still working on the backpacks. She had taken all the family pictures down from the walls, and was taking the photos out of the frames, rolling them all together into a scroll for easy carrying.

"We don't need to take most of them," I pointed out. "Jasper already saved all of our scanned images to one of the flash drives."

Esme smiled sadly. "I know. But I like to keep the originals. And besides, who knows when we'll be able to do all that again?" She slid a rubber band around the scroll and quickly started with the next pile of pictures. On the top was one of those dollar picture strips from the mall- the kind where you sit in the photo booth and get three pictures printed right away. Emmett and Rosalie were smiling in the first picture, kissing in the second, and making silly faces in the third. I smiled to myself- Esme wanted to keep every little picture that any of us had ever taken.

Suddenly another realization hit me, and Esme had her arms around me as soon as she saw my stricken face. "I don't have any. Not one," I murmured into her shoulder. "I don't have any pictures of Bella." How could this happen? How had it never occurred to me to take a picture of her?

Esme sighed and held me tighter. "I'm sorry, Edward," she sighed, rubbing my back with one of her hands. "I know you did what you thought was right." I could tell she was struggling to control her thoughts; she hadn't approved of my decision, either.

"Carlisle wants us to go buy some more food," I said quickly, pulling away. "I'll be outside when you're ready." She nodded and I went back to the mountain of papers in my "destroy" pile. I had only decided to keep less than two percent of our records; most of the important ones had already been scanned onto the flash drives. I scooped up two armfuls of papers and headed downstairs and out to the fire.

Emmett was still angry with me for hitting Rosalie, and I sighed as I dumped my load into the fire, which was next to his pile of electronics. "I'm sorry," I said again. "I don't know what came over me."

"Well, _I_ do," he growled, kicking some of the stray papers back into the fire. "You've finally lost your mind. Not that I'm surprised," he muttered as he scooped up another pile of electronic bits into a shovel and headed out into the woods to bury it.

Esme came out, purse in hand, looking just like a cheerful housewife headed to the grocery store. "I'm ready," she called, and I headed toward the garage with her. _Let me drive, Edward. You're a little distracted._ I nodded and tossed her the keys.

We were backing out of the driveway when Carlisle appeared in the partially-smashed doorway. "Take Emmett with you," he said softly. "I don't think the wolves will try anything before midnight, but it's better to be safe than sorry." _I don't want Esme going out at all, but she's the only one who knows what to buy to make a convincing scene in the refrigerator. Make sure she hurries, Edward- but don't let her look like she's hurrying. And remember to divide your purchases between at least two stores._

Emmett came out of the woods, yanked open the back door and settled into a menacing pose in the back seat. "I wish they _would_ try something", he said scathingly, clenching and unclenching his fists with the unused energy. "I'd still be tearing you into pieces right now if we weren't on such a tight schedule."

"I'm sure you would."

"Boys," Esme warned, and we fell silent. Emmett, of course, was free to continue his mental tirade without Esme knowing. _Wasn't I just telling you THIS WEEK what an idiot you were being to let this continue? If you had just freaking changed her the first ten times she asked for it, none of this would have happened. We could have faked her death, and that would have been that! But nooo, you had to drag it out with your theological crap and your self-righteous, fatalistic-_

"You've made your point," I mouthed, knowing he was watching me in the side mirror. Emmett didn't _need_ to beat me to a pulp; this was far more effective, and he knew it.

_And now you've managed to get us run out of town! And if that weren't bad enough, you had to go lie to Bella's face and break her heart for no reason! Rosalie was really starting to warm up to her. You know what she told me last night? That she was looking forward to having a new sister. Do you know how HURT Rosalie was when Alice saw your little stunt? She was going to rip your arm off when you got home, but I calmed her down. I told her that there was obviously some mistake, and that in a couple of years you and Bella would catch up with us. That I knew you were an masochistic moron, but that you wouldn't go THAT far. That Bella's happiness was more important to you than all your ridiculous ideals. Guess I was wrong._

That was the last straw. I spun around in my seat, ripping the seat belt to shreds as my fingernails grazed it. "You don't know _anything_ about her happiness!" I snarled.

"Emmett, would you _please_ leave your brother alone?" Esme moaned. Emmett snorted and leaned back in his seat, folding his arms and looking away from me. I turned back around, knowing full well that he wasn't finished.

_Look, I know that Rosalie can be a little… difficult at times. But I swear to God, if you ever lay hands on my wife again, I'll feed you to the werewolves myself. You got that?_

I just nodded, my mind wandering back to his last insult. How dare he insinuate that I didn't care about Bella's happiness? That was all I cared about! Why did he think I was doing this? Emmett, of all people, had no right to criticize me. He had woken up to his second life, the love of his life standing right in front of him. He had had it so _easy_. He had no idea what it was like to wait for his mate for centuries, like Carlisle had. He had no idea was it was like to be emotionally manipulated by his female creator, like Jasper had been. And he _certainly_ had no understanding of the position I was in.

I ground my teeth. Bella's happiness was my _only_ priority. I had sacrificed our current happiness for her to enjoy a long, happy life and an eternity in Heaven. The fact that fate had driven me to do it tonight- well, that was just a mercy, straight from Heaven itself. Regardless of my choice, I would have left Bella alone with her tears tonight. This way, I was simply leaving her with a more concrete type of grief. By the time we reached Siberia, her heart would already have begun to heal. Emmett just wasn't capable of the complex planning involved in something like this. Vampire intelligence notwithstanding, his simple mind just wasn't equipped with the-

_Look, Eddie, I'm a simple guy, right? I love my wife, and I show that by doing things that make her happy. End of story. Sometimes you thinker types need to knock it down a notch. Carlisle is just like you, and so is Jasper. You guys keep dwelling on stuff, and you're the worst. You get yourself so deep that right becomes left and up becomes down and loving your own mate becomes wrong! You're such an idiot. Do you seriously think Bella is going to recover from this? I may not be the empath, but even I can tell that Bella loves you in the same way that a vampire loves her mate. She CAN'T move on. Did you ever think of THAT?_

I pressed my lips into a thin line, repressing the urge to turn around again and… and… could Emmett be right about Bella's love? Just the other night I had been marveling at the suprahuman strength that she seemed to think she held for me. What if _she_ was right? I may have saved her soul, but had I just made the rest of her human life miserable? Was a life worth a soul? What if I had just-

My thoughts were suddenly interrupted by the barely-audible mind of my father. I closed my eyes and focused on his words- we must be more than three miles away already. His voice was patchy, at best.

_Edward! Come … hear me? Oh, why didn't I … new phones and …. one! If… EDWARD!_

"Turn the car around," I barked. Esme gasped and swung the car around, quickly reaching top speed.

"What is it?" she asked frantically.

"I don't know. Hold on."

Carlisle was repeating his message again, the volume quickly rising as we got closer. _Edward! Come back! I need you to come back! NOW!_

"I don't know what's wrong, but Carlisle just keeps saying we need to come back. Hurry," I urged her. She pushed the car just a bit more, and the engine started to shake. I listened intently as Carlisle's mind showed me what had happened.

"Alice just lost us. All of us," I said quickly. "Less than fifteen minutes from now."

"The wolves," Emmett growled. "Guess they didn't feel like waiting 'til midnight. How'd they know half of us would be gone?" _Rosalie! Come on, Esme! I have to get back to Rosalie! Hurry!_

"They couldn't have known that," I mused. "And why would they even attempt an attack? They know we're leaving."

"I don't know, but I've been waiting seventy years for this," he said menacingly, leaning forward.

"Something's not right here," I said cautiously. "This attack makes no sense, not even for them. Even if they knew we'd be gone, they're still outnumbered. Emmett, keep your head, okay?"

" _You_ keep your head. The first wolf is mine," he growled. We pulled into the driveway at top speed, the car skidding to a stop and spraying mud all over the garage.

"Thank God," Carlisle sighed as he ran to embrace Esme. "I thought you wouldn't be able to hear me. Edward, do you hear anyone nearby?"

"No," I said, jumping out of the car. "Did Billy call again?"

"He might have, but I had the land line disconnected as soon as I activated the new mobile plan. I don't understand this. What do they possibly have to gain by attacking now?"

"Maybe it's not an attack," suggested Esme.

"I don't see what else it could be," Carlisle said tiredly. "They have nothing else to say to us. Only I don't see what they hope to accomplish, considering their numbers."

"Unless there are new wolves," Rosalie spat. We all looked at each other, considering the sobering possibility of Jacob- and possibly others- joining the ranks of our enemies. Were we truly in danger?

"Can't we just leave now?" Esme asked anxiously.

"We could," Carlisle replied. "Although we only have five minutes, give or take, before they arrive. And Alice was certain that we need to leave more food in the house."

"And I still haven't finished burning all the paperwork," I admitted. "And we really need to erase the evidence of there even _being_ a fire before we leave."

"And we really should repair the wall and the door, too. We don't need the Police coming up with any new theories," Alice warned.

Carlisle nodded grimly. "If there is to be a fight, I'd rather meet them here. And if there is _not_ going to be a fight, I don't want to run and leave before we're ready. If we leave too much evidence behind, we're going to have bigger problems than a werewolf pack."

"I agree," Jasper said quickly. "We should meet them here."

We arranged ourselves in a tight line out in front of our house, unsure what to expect. Carlisle, Jasper and Emmett slowly shifted to stand slightly forward of their mates. Each of the women, fierce in her own readiness, instinctively drew closer to her husband.

I stood alone.

.

.

.

**A/N: Sorry to extend the cliffhanger, but Edward wasn't through angsting, it seems. And I thought it would be fun to look at what an emergency departure might involve.**


	33. Together

**EPOV**

We waited like statues. I was straining my gift to the limit, searching as widely as I could for any approaching thoughts. After four minutes, I still hadn't heard anything.

"Nothing?" Carlisle asked tensely. I shook my head and we waited in silence a bit longer. Then, on the edge of my range, I heard the annoying mental voice of Jacob Black.

_This had better work. If the vamps get mad, I'm toast. Was this a bad idea? I can't believe I'm breaking the treaty again…_

"I can hear Jacob," I said quickly, and everyone lowered themselves into an attack crouch. "Wait… something's different. His mind is different than before." I strained my gift again, giving Jacob's mind every ounce of focus I had.

_I should have just let them leave. Me and my big mouth…_

I cocked my head, analyzing the subtle change in tone. Jacob's thoughts had more depth to them than before, and something about his mind was hurting my ears- no, it wasn't painful, it was just _irritating_. When had I felt that before? I swallowed when I recalled the memory: the wolves' minds, back in 1936. Sam's mind the other day.

"He's phased," I growled, and my frustration was echoed in the minds around me.

"Is he in wolf form now?" Jasper asked, his voice like ice. "How many are there?"

"I don't know. Hold on." I listened again for Jacob, trying to determine if the whole pack was with him. He was still too far away for me to see through his eyes, and I wasn't familiar enough with his mind to catch everything at this distance.

_Okay, I feel really stupid doing this, but… here goes nothing. Hey, Edward! Can you hear me? If you can hear this, stay where you are. We're coming to talk to you… Hey Edward, Edward, Edward!_

"He's thinking at me," I reported. "He wants us to stay where we are, and he says they only want to talk."

Emmett snorted. "Yeah, right."

"How many?" Jasper asked again.

"I'm still only hearing Jacob, but he said 'we'," I replied. "He's moving toward us quickly, but not at the speed he could be, if he was running. He must be in a car."

"Human form, then," Rosalie said smugly. _Even easier._

Jacob was finally close enough now for me to fully enter his mind. He was looking out the window of a car, repeating his message to me mentally again. He turned his head and looked around the inside of the car.

"Bella!" I gasped. "Bella's with him!" I focused on Jacob's mind again, and saw Charlie driving. They were in the cruiser, and from the way the engine sounded, Charlie was pushing it for all it was worth.

"It's not the pack," I said quickly. "Charlie is driving Jacob and Bella over here."

"What on earth _for_?" Alice asked anxiously. _I can't stand werewolves! I can't see anything now!_

"I don't know," I said honestly. What could they possibly be coming here for? Had Charlie seen the new bruise on Bella's face, and decided to come kill me himself? But why was he bringing Jacob and Bella? From Jacob's thoughts, I zeroed in on Charlie. I couldn't access his mind, not yet. He was always difficult, especially from a distance, and especially when he was upset. Through Jacob's eyes, I could see Charlie's white-knuckled grip on the steering wheel and the trembling of the needle on the spedometer. Yes, Charlie was definitely upset.

I gasped again as the truth dawned on me. Bella was coming here! I was going to see her again! The whole world suddenly exploded back into color, and I literally felt like I was lifting off the ground. I inched forward in anticipation.

"No, Edward," Carlisle said sharply. "We stay together. We still don't know what this is about." I nodded absently, falling back into place. But through Carlisle's eyes, I saw the huge grin spreading over my face. I was going to see Bella! The reason really didn't matter, did it? Somewhere, in the back of my mind, were all the arguments that I had been mulling over. Some dying ember of reason told me that I shouldn't be glad that Bella was coming over. That it would only make things more painful in the end. But, for the life of me, I couldn't remember _why._ How could I be anything but happy? I was going to see her again!

I eagerly jumped back into Jacob's mind, hoping he would look at Bella again for me. I was rewarded, and I could swear I felt my dead heart stir to life as I saw her beautiful face. She was leaning forward, chewing on her lip and bouncing one of her knees impatiently. She turned to Jacob and I almost wept when I saw her eyes. "I love you," I whispered to her.

"Love you, too," muttered Emmett, earning a smack from Rosalie.

We could hear their engine now, and I finally had my first glimpse into Charlie's thoughts. _…die then what's she supposed to... losing my mind... right into a nest of… of vampires without backup…_

I drew in my breath sharply, not sure I had heard correctly. Did Charlie just think the word _vampire_? I closed my eyes and focused everything I had on his mind. He was picturing me with fangs, and wondering if what Bella had said was true, if we weren't the type who ate humans…

"He knows," I whispered.

"What?" Jasper snapped.

"Charlie knows. About us. Bella told him," I said in awe.

"She _what_?" Rosalie hissed.

By now their car was pulling off the highway, and everyone in my family was talking at once. My mind was bombarded with not only the storm of their panicked thoughts, but also with the secondhand shockwave coming from Jasper's gift.

"Calm down! Everyone, quiet!" Carlisle commanded. "We're obviously not under attack. Edward, I think it would be best if you meet the car halfway." _If Charlie has learned the truth, he's going to be terrified if we all come at him at once. And look at Jasper._

I glanced at my brother, who was quivering not only with everyone else's shock, but also his own anger. _This is unforgiveable. I can't believe she did this! I'm going to-_

I had heard enough. I shot down the driveway, nearly colliding with the cruiser. Charlie's eyes widened and he jerked the car to a stop. I had already confirmed at least part of Bella's story- he had just seen me running toward them at ninety miles an hour.

"Stay in the car," he told Bella shakily, but she was already jumping out. I flew around to her door, sweeping her out of the car and holding her as tightly as I dared. My whole body sizzled with happiness as I felt her warmth. What had I been _thinking_ earlier? I couldn't be separated from Bella any more than the stars could be ripped out of the sky! I pulled back and looked in her eyes, seeing the joy that was overflowing in her tears. Unable to wait any longer, I kissed her over and over, and buried my nose in her neck, taking in her mind-shattering scent.

Charlie stiffened beside us. _I should have come alone. Is he going to kill her right in front of me?!_ He reached for his gun, his hand slipping uselessly over his empty belt. An image flashed across his mind: me dropping Bella's lifeless body to the ground, her neck coated with blood.

I suddenly realized how my posture must look to him. I forced myself to release Bella, hiding my smile as I turned to Charlie. "My apologies, Charlie. I'm just very happy to see Bella, and very _surprised_."

Carlisle finally arrived, jogging at human speed. "Charlie, this is an… unexpected pleasure," he said carefully, extending his hand.

Charlie just backed away, looking between Carlisle and myself nervously. "So," he said, licking his lips fearfully, "It's true, then. You guys are…"

"Vampires," Carlisle said gently. "Yes, it's true. But most of the stories about vampires are _not_ true. We're just humans who have some… enhancements. I'll be more than happy to answer any questions you have."

"But first, I want to say something," Bella interrupted, looking sheepishly toward Carlisle. "I'm sorry that I told him. It was the only way to stop the Police from coming tomorrow."

"They're not coming?" I asked quickly, looking back to Charlie.

"I haven't called them off _yet_ ," he said gruffly. _Maybe they won't kill me if they think the Police are still coming..._

"Nobody's going to kill you, Charlie," I promised. I quickly dipped into Jasper's mind, pleased to see that he was beginning to calm down.

His eyes narrowed suspiciously. _Did he just… nah._ He cleared his throat. "Anyway, I told Bella I would come and talk to… you all. And _then_ I _might_ call them off."

Jacob finally got out, leaning on his crossed arms on the far side of the car. His new scent filled the air and I closed my eyes momentarily, forcing my muscles to relax. I turned to him, unsure what to expect. What was his role in all this? Had he told Charlie about us, hoping it would get us into more trouble? He wrinkled his nose when we made eye contact.

"You owe me one, bloodsucker," he smirked. "If I had known how much you guys _stunk_ before now, I might not have convinced Bella tell him everything." My jaw dropped as he mentally played back a summary of the past half hour. "You did this… for us?" I asked incredulously. But he had phased! Shouldn't he be snarling at me right now?

"For _her_ ," he corrected. "And she's the one who told him. I just, um, helped." I winced as I saw the narrow escape that Bella and her father had made when he had phased in their living room.

"I… you… thank you," I stammered.

"Everybody just stop talking for a minute!" Charlie yelled, and we all turned back to him. His face was red and his pulse was dangerously rapid.

"Charlie," I said, turning back to him. "I can't tell you how grateful I am that you are giving us this chance. Like Carlisle said, we'll be happy to answer any questions that you have. I'm sure you must be very curious about us."

"Okay… yeah. I have some questions. First off, is it true that you guys don't eat people?"

"Yes, that is true," Carlisle replied. "Many vampires do follow that… traditional lifestyle. But our family feels that respecting human life is the right thing to do. We hunt animals instead."

Charlie's heart rate came down, but only by a fraction. "Okay, that's… that's good, I guess." He glanced back at Bella and me. "And… this is why you don't ever eat with us?" _All those times I thought he was anorexic. The whole time he was probably thinking how tasty WE would be! Ugh!_

I nodded. "All of us are committed to the animal diet," I reassured him. "The citizens of Forks aren't in any danger from us. In fact, we have helped defend the town against traditional vampires in the past." This was a bit of a stretch; we probably would never have fought the nomads if it weren't for Bella.

Charlie blew out a puff of air. "Yeah, Bella mentioned something about that. The Phoenix thing, right?"

"Yes," Carlisle replied. "I'm sorry that we weren't honest with you about that. But it's often necessary for us to bend the truth so that we can live our 'human' lives."

"Like the fake identities?"

"Exactly. Since we don't get any older, we find it necessary to reduce our apparent ages each time we move. We usually stay in each location about five years."

Charlie turned back to me, frowning. "I found a picture of you online today that was taken in 1980. You looked exactly the same as now."

"Yes, sir."

"So… how old are you, really?"

I glanced down at Bella, who was nodding encouragingly. "I was born in 1901," I said, turning back to her father. "When I was seventeen, Carlisle changed me into a vampire in order to save my life. I was dying from the Spanish flu."

 _1901? But that would make him… whoa._ His heart rate picked up again. Charlie shared Bella's unusual ability to adapt to odd situations, but he was finally reaching his limit. His face drained of color, and his knees buckled. Carlisle caught him as he began to fall.

"Charlie, it's all right," he said quietly. "I know this is a lot to take in. Why don't you and I walk back toward the house and talk about it? There's a bench in our front yard we can sit on." He murmured under his breath for the rest of the family to go inside the house. _Edward, I'm going to ask Esme to get the house phone reactivated, and when he's ready, I'll ask Charlie to make the call to the State Police. Try to get Jacob a few miles away, so that we can see the results._

Charlie nodded, leaning on Carlisle's arm as they began walking. He looked at Bella and me over his shoulder, frowning when Bella gave him a smile. _Of all the daughters in the universe, mine has to fall in love with a vampire. Where is this headed? Can I get her away from him? And how long has she known about this?!_

When they were out of sight, I turned to Jacob. "Jacob, we're going to have Charlie try to call off the Police, but we need you to move a few miles away so that-"

"Yeah, I know. I'm messing with the Alice-o-vision," he interrupted, grinning. "I want to see how fast I can run, anyway. This wolf thing is _amazing_."

I eyed him curiously. He was obviously repulsed by my scent, but I could detect no malice in his thoughts. "Now that you've phased, you don't… hate us?" I asked cautiously.

He shrugged. "Like I said, you smell a lot worse than before. And whenever I look at you, there's this twisty feeling in my gut, like I want to punch you or something. But I don't see why we have to be enemies. You guys were the ones who were honest with me in the first place, and your brother was the one who calmed me down the first time." _And as much as I hate to admit it, Bella is happy. REALLY happy. So don't screw it up._

I nodded my thanks, and he ran off into the woods. Bella was still looking at the bend in the driveway where Charlie had disappeared. "Is he all right?" she asked. "I mean, he's not going to have a heart attack, is he?"

"I think he'll be fine." I checked the minds of my family again. They were all still in the house, but Jasper was at one of the windows, sending calm down Charlie's way while Carlisle talked to him on the bench. I realized now that this was the reason Carlisle wanted to get him closer to the house. Charlie's color was coming back now. "He's already feeling better," I said aloud. "Jasper's helping him."

"And you? You're not… mad at me? I did break the rules. I know I shouldn't have told him, Edward, but I _had_ to. It was the only way."

I closed the distance between us, taking her back in my arms again. I inhaled deeply, my mind buzzing with her intoxicating scent. But I felt a shadow over our embrace; this was wrong, a quiet voice reminded me. Now it would be even more difficult… The voice died out, extinguished by the power of Bella's presence. I sighed in surrender, admitting what I had known all along. I _needed_ Bella. I simply wasn't strong enough to do the right thing. Not anymore.

"Edward?" Bella whispered, worried by my silence.

"No, I'm not angry with you, love. How could I be? What you did took a lot of courage."

Bella dropped her eyes. "It took more than that," she said softly. "When you-" she swallowed, closing her eyes. "When you left, I knew I only had a couple of hours to do something, anything. When Jacob suggested that we tell Charlie the truth, I knew it was the one chance we had of staying together. I know it was wrong. But I couldn't just let you _leave_!"

Her tears finally returned, and I held her silently until she could speak again. "I'm sorry," she repeated. "but I _have_ to be with you. I don't care what kind of person that makes me." She met my eyes again, and they were blazing with defiance. "You need to know the truth, Edward. I know you think I'm some kind of angel, but I'm not. I would do _anything_ for us to be together. I knew what I was doing when I told Charlie the truth. I knew that it might get him killed. I knew that it might get _all_ of us killed. But I didn't care- all I cared about was keeping you. Can you..." her voice finally faltered, and the fear returned to her eyes. "Can you still love me, knowing that I did that? Because that's who I am. I _know_ that I love you too much, but I don't care. As long as I have you, nothing else matters. So… I just needed to tell you that. It's only fair for you to know who it is that you're-"

"Bella." I put my hands on both sides of her face, leaning my forehead down to touch hers. I felt the burden physically lift off of my shoulders as her words sunk in. Her confession was the one thing that could have freed me! Emmett had been right, after all. I had grossly underestimated Bella's capacity for supernatural love, and I had never been so happy to be proven wrong in my life. Her love was just as powerful, as malignant as my own! We were _both_ so blinded by each other that we couldn't see anything else. Bella startled in confusion when she saw the smile spreading over my face.

"You love me that much?" I asked in a whisper.

"More," she admitted, blushing. Then she frowned. "You can't know what it was like," she whispered. "when you left tonight. It was like my insides had shattered, leaving an empty hole behind. I was _burning_."

"It was the same for me," I admitted. "Exactly the same." I noticed, suddenly, that the pain in my chest was gone. I was whole again. I dropped my hands, my smile fading. I would need to show her the darkness that had been in my own heart; it was only fair.

"We are quite a pair," I muttered. "But I must make a confession as well. Only my sin was worse than yours."

She nodded for me to continue; she obviously didn't believe me.

"Earlier tonight, when Alice saw the Police coming, and we were trying different options… well, one of the options was for Jasper to come and kill Charlie." I checked Bella's face, but she was still waiting. "Carlisle didn't want us to even consider it, of course; you know he wouldn't. But I did, Bella. I gave Jasper permission to kill your father."

The color drained from Bella's face, and for a split second, I thought I had finally done it. Back in March, when Bella had learned the truth, I kept expecting her to be overwhelmed, to run and scream from the terror that I represented. Part of me- a rapidly shrinking part- had hoped she would. But she had never done it. Even when I had confessed my greatest crime- my years of hunting humans- she stayed with me, unwilling to be shocked. But had I finally pushed her too far? Now that I _didn't_ want her to be afraid of me, had I finally told her too much? A hint of the pain returned, threatening to tear me in half again.

But instead of backing away from me, she looked nervously toward the house. "No- he's safe now," I said quickly. "Alice saw that it wouldn't work. But the point is, I was willing to let Charlie die if it meant that we could be together. It was because I _had_ to keep you, Bella. I would _kill_ to keep you. Do you understand?" She shuddered, but held my gaze.

"I do," she said simply, and relief flooded through me. She had forgiven me! I felt even lighter than before, but I quickly came back down to earth. Bella frowned. "Something else?" she asked warily.

"Yes," I admitted. "I lied to you, Bella."

She stiffened. We both knew that what I was about to confess was truly the worst act committed by either of us.

"I lied to you tonight. It was true that we couldn't take you with us. And there was no guarantee of when you could safely come to meet me. But Alice didn't actually see that you couldn't. And your idea about Florida probably would have worked."

"Then why…?"

I picked up her hands, suddenly afraid to meet her gaze any longer. "For the same reason that you said before. Because I loved you too much. It isn't… natural. It's certainly not _healthy_. The fact that I was willing to let Charlie die is just one example. The love I feel for you, it's… it's… more than love. It's _obsession_. You deserve better than that, Bella. I wanted you to be free."

"And so you lied," she said, her teeth clenched.

"Yes. I didn't have to lie much- if you hadn't had the idea to tell Charlie the truth, I still would have had to leave tonight."

"And… now?" she whispered. Her teeth were still clenched, and she was holding her breath, waiting for my answer.

"Now? As soon as I saw you, I knew I was lost. I used up every last ounce of strength I had to lie to you earlier; I simply don't have any left. I don't think I _could_ set you free now."

She shuddered again, leaning her head on my chest. "I don't _want_ to be free."

"Well, that's good, because I'm never taking my eyes off of you again," I warned. She broke into a huge smile and I grabbed her, swinging her as I spun around. As we turned, I felt the tension on my heart begin to unwind. "Yes, we make a fine pair indeed," I said, returning her smile as I set her down gently.

Carlisle's mental voice broke into my thoughts. _Edward! We're about to make the call._

I took a deep breath. "Charlie is about to call the State Police," I said. "Do you want to be there?"

She nodded, and I scooped her up in my arms, racing up to the front door. "I thought you were going to fix that," Bella said as she saw the shattered door frame.

"Yes, well… it seems to keep happening," I said, smiling down at her. I would have to do something to make it up to Rosalie- maybe she and Emmett would like another trip to Europe sometime.

"No, _that's_ not going to work," Alice was saying. Charlie was sitting beside her on the couch, staring in awe as she squinted at the future.

I cocked an eyebrow at Carlisle. "He knows about Alice?"

"Yes. I thought it would be best if she helped him with the call." _I haven't told him about your gift- that will be up to you._ I nodded.

"Well, okay…" Charlie said, scratching the back of his neck. "What if I tell them I was drunk?"

Alice closed her eyes. "Perfect!" she said, opening them again in satisfaction.

Charlie cleared his throat and picked up the phone, his hand shaking as he dialed. I nodded slightly to Jasper, who sent an extra dose of calm Charlie's way. Everyone was in the living room now, watching and hoping.

"Hi, Matt. It's Charlie Swan again. Listen, about that alert… let's just forget the whole thing." He paused, listening. "No, it's my fault. I got some stuff mixed up. What? Well, the truth is…" he peeked at Alice, who nodded firmly. "The truth is that I found out that my daughter was dating one of the doctor's kids behind my back. He's one of those skateboard kids, and I didn't- What? Yeah, I know! Anyway, I kind of blew my top and I… I had a couple of drinks too many. I got to thinking that if I could find some dirt on Dr. Cullen, that I could get him to keep his kid away from her. Well, long story short, I was pretty messed up by the time I got online, and I think I start seeing things. You know how it gets when you're worried about your kids. After I called you guys, I started to sober up. I went back and looked at some of the stuff I had found, and none of it made any sense. I can still send you the files if you want, but everything checks out." He paused again. "Yeah, I know. I swear it was all after hours. I never drink on the job. I'm sorry about all this… yeah, I will. Sorry again."

He hung up, mopping the sweat off of his forehead. He looked at Alice, who was concentrating. Her visions of tomorrow morning were shifting quickly – no doubt the official Charlie had talked to was deciding whether to investigate further or not. Suddenly she broke into a huge smile. "It's gone," she said triumphantly.

Everyone burst into motion, talking all at once, and Emmett whooped so loud that Charlie jumped clean off the couch. Jasper was grinning smugly, and in his mind I saw what he had done. As soon as Charlie had given him the name of the policeman he would be calling, Jasper had hacked the State Police database, eventually finding a disciplinary notice in the man's file. Just a few months ago, his fellow officers had had to restrain him during a "minor altercation" with a teenage boy. There hadn't been any other details other than the boy's name, but that had been enough. Jasper had whizzed through the boy's MySpace page, and those of all his friends, deducing that around the time of the disciplinary notice, the boy's girlfriend had thought she was pregnant. It had turned out later that she wasn't, but it was obvious that this event had caused the "altercation" with the girl's father. Jasper had also found that the boy was an avid skateboarder. Using this information, he and Alice had helped Charlie to create a story sure to stir the policeman's sympathy.

"Charlie, we can't thank you enough," Carlisle said enthusiastically. "Alice will be keeping a close eye to make sure there aren't any repercussions for you."

"Oh, I'm not worried," Charlie said easily. "I was going to lose my job anyway, if they came tomorrow. Most of the stuff I found on you guys was illegally obtained. I even called Edward's adoption agency!"

We all looked at each other. "Yes, I know," Carlisle said uneasily. "Rosalie was the one who answered the phone."

Charlie spun around to face Rosalie, who rolled her eyes and gave a sample of her "Sharon Wells" voice. Charlie's eyebrows shot up into his hair. "The hospital in Fairbanks?" he asked.

"That was me," Jasper said quietly.

"Wow." Charlie just leaned back into the couch again, his mind spinning with all the information he had just taken in. When he and Carlisle had talked earlier, he had learned more than he knew what to do with. After Carlisle had answered all his questions, he had agreed to make the call, and Carlisle had introduced him to Alice's talent. He was still reeling from that, as well.

"This is all very nice," Rosalie said impatiently, "but what about the werewolves?"

"I don't know," Carlisle admitted. "Edward, is Jacob coming back?"

"I think so, although it might not be for a while. He was eager to try out his new body. It's quite amazing, Carlisle. He truly seems to consider us his friends."

"Remarkable," breathed Carlisle. "I hadn't expected that."

"Why not?" Charlie asked.

"Werewolves and vampires are traditional enemies," I explained. "Jacob was somewhat friendly with us before, but we expected that to change as soon as he began phasing. Our theory has always been that when the transformation occurs for the first time, the new wolf usually receives a sort of genetic download, complete with hatred and aversion to vampires. Jacob does seem disgusted by us physically, but his mind bears us no ill will."

"Hey! Maybe Jacob could talk to the pack about giving you guys a break," Bella suggested.

"It's possible," I said thoughtfully, "but not likely. Since he is the youngest member, his opinion won't carry much weight."

"But he is the descendent of the Alpha we met before," Rosalie mused. "That's got to count for something."

"And they're not _actually_ werewolves," Carlisle added. "We still don't understand all the inner workings of the pack."

Charlie threw his hands over his ears. "All right, that's it!" he grumbled. "If I hear one more thing about vampires or werewolves or dragons my head is going to explode!"

"Dragons aren't real," Emmett said helpfully.

Charlie just moaned. "I can't take any more… not tonight, at least. Come on, Bells, we're going home." He stood up, and Bella reluctantly copied him. She was obviously not looking forward to the drive home.

"One moment," Carlisle said. "Before you leave, Charlie, I need to make sure you understand the sensitivity of everything we have discussed today."

Charlie looked uncomfortable. "Yeah, Bella and Jacob said something about that. They said there are some kind of Mafia vampires?"

Rosalie hissed in anger. _She told him about the Volturi?! I don't believe this!_

Carlisle nodded. "There are very few 'laws' in our world, but I'm afraid this is one of them. It is forbidden for humans to know the truth about us. According to that law, you and Bella must either be killed or changed into vampires yourselves."

Charlie blanched again, but Carlisle held up his hands. "We're not going to do that. But it is _imperative_ that you never share this information with anyone. If this were to be discovered, you would not only be killed, but anyone who you had told would need to die also. And our family would likely be executed, as well. We are literally trusting you with our lives by letting you live, Charlie. Do you understand?"

Charlie nodded solemnly. "Don't worry. I can hardly believe any of this myself! Why would I want to _tell_ anyone about it?"

"Good. And I'm sure the wolves would appreciate your discretion, as well."

"So, we can trust you, then?" Jasper asked carefully. He was trying to elicit an emotional response, in order to determine Charlie's intentions.

Charlie nodded again, and Jasper visibly relaxed. _I still don't like this, Edward, but he seems to be amicable toward us, though there is still quite a bit of fear. Are you hearing any thoughts I need to know about?_ I shook my head slightly. Charlie's mind was still racing with his new knowledge, but I saw no plans to betray us. He seemed to understand that betraying us would result in Bella's death, and that was enough for him.

Charlie moved toward the door, waiting for Bella. Much to her father's dismay, she rushed into my arms. "You'll come tonight?" she whispered in my ear.

"I don't know. We need to resolve this treaty issue. But you'll hear from me tomorrow, no matter what." Bella stiffened in my arms, and I kissed her on the cheek. "I'll call you tomorrow," I said in a louder voice. She nodded and turned to go.

As soon as the front door closed, Carlisle turned to Alice. "Are you seeing any loss of our futures tonight?"

"Not anymore," she answered. "For a minute there, everything went black. But then I could see everyone again. Maybe Jacob was going to come back, but decided not to. But I do see you back at work tomorrow night!" she added cheerfully.

Everyone breathed another sigh of relief. "I'll call Billy and get this worked out," said Carlisle. We all crowded around as he dialed the number. We were all surprised to hear Jacob answer, instead of his father.

"Jacob, it's Dr. Cullen. The Police aren't coming anymore."

"That's great!" Jacob said enthusiastically. "I was going to come back, but I didn't want to mess with Alice again. And I have some good news, too. When I phased again, I was able to hear the other members of the pack. It was so cool! It was like we all shared a mind while we were all in wolf form. And I found out that _I'm_ supposed to be the Alpha! Can you believe it?"

"That makes sense," Carlisle replied. "In terms of heritage, you should be inheriting both the Alpha role and that of tribal chief."

"Anyway," Jacob continued, "Sam and I got into an, uh, argument. Long story short, the treaty is reinstated."

We all smiled at one another. "And the June expiration?" Carlisle asked.

"I don't know about that yet," Jacob admitted. "I'm not too thrilled with this Alpha thing. Sam and I still haven't decided how that's going to work. For now, I think we're going to cross that bridge when we come to it."

"Fair enough," Carlisle said. "Jacob, I can't tell you how grateful we all are for your help."

"Anytime. Hey, is Bella still there?"

I sighed at the easy way he spoke her name. It seemed that for better or for worse, Jacob Black was going to be a part of all our lives from now on.

"No, she and Charlie went home. Charlie has agreed to keep all of our secrets."

"Okay, I guess I'll talk to you guys later."

Carlisle hung up and turned to us with a huge grin. "Well, everyone, it looks like we have some unpacking to do!"

"Hold it," said Rosalie. "Before we relax, I want to know what Edward intends to do about Bella. From your little goodbye earlier, it looks like you might have actually decided something intelligent."

"You could say that," I muttered. But everyone's eyes were still on me. "I owe you all an apology," I began. "I've been a fool." My stomach churned as I realized who I _really_ needed to apologize to: Bella.

 _Finally._ "Does this mean you're going to change her now?" Emmett asked impatiently.

I frowned. "Emmett, I don't think-"

"Hold on," Carlisle interrupted. "Charlie knowing the truth has changed the situation. We have gained his trust for the moment, but it would be most unwise to challenge that trust so soon. And when the time does come, he will need to be informed."

"Ooh.. _That's_ going to be awkward," Emmett whistled.

"I agree with Carlisle," Jasper added. "I have always thought that Bella should be changed sooner rather than later. But it might be best to wait a bit now."

I tried to hide my relief. Even if I had realized that I could never leave Bella, I still wasn't convinced that changing her was the right thing to do. I felt less confident about my conviction regarding her soul, but I wasn't ready to throw it away.

Alice's eyes suddenly widened, and she began mentally reciting the Pledge of Allegiance in Korean and Swahili simultaneously.

I eyed her suspiciously. "What?"

She grinned evilly. "Oh, nothing. The forecast for tomorrow is looking interesting, that's all."

"Not for me," grumbled Jasper. "I have to rebuild The Phone."

We all broke out laughing, and when it was quiet again, I headed for the door. "I'm going to see Bella," I said eagerly.

"No you're not, young man!" Esme said sternly. "You're not going anywhere until you fix that door!"

.

.

.

**A/N: See, I told you it would all work out!**

**Okay, seriously... I hope this goes without saying, but here it is: This is fantasy. This is NOT how to have a healthy relationship. If your boyfriend is saying things like "I'll just have to keep a closer eye on you" or "I don't know if I *could* set you free", the correct answer is not "I don't _want_ to be free". The correct answer is to lock your door and change your phone number. But that's the fun of Twilight: that these *good* characters are so flawed and make such horrible mistakes, and yet still manage to get their happy ending. :) A couple more chapters and then an Epilogue. I can't believe this story is almost over!**


	34. Solutions

**A/N: Okay, I lied. One more chapter after this one, and _then_ an epilogue.**

**EPOV**

I finished repairing the door in record time. While the paint was still wet, I flew out the garage door, flinging my tools onto the bench and sprinting the whole way over to Bella's house.

I needn't have hurried; it was over an hour before I was able to enter her room. Charlie was standing in her doorway, watching her sleep. His thoughts sounded like a broken record: _I can't believe it. A vampire. I can't believe it._ I waited anxiously for whatever was next, but it seemed like Charlie had truly reached his limit. He finally backed out, closing Bella's door and heading to his own bedroom. I waited until he was snoring, and slipped in through Bella's window, relieved that Charlie hadn't locked it. Hopefully this meant that he didn't suspect what I had been doing every night.

As soon as I entered the room, my throat started burning. It hadn't been this bad in months; the stress of the last twenty-four hours had burned up the small amount of blood I had taken in the other day. I would need to hunt, and soon.

But the pain in my throat was nothing compared to the pain I had felt the last time I was in this room. I sank to my knees as I had done before, but this time in relief. I laid my head on the edge of the mattress, my face inches from Bella's. I breathed in her scent deeply, reveling in both the burn of thirst as well as the heady intoxication it always brought. The world was right-side up now, and nothing would ever separate me from Bella again- not even myself.

I still couldn't believe what I had done to her last night. I had actually convinced myself that I should leave her! It wasn't that my conclusions had been wrong; I still knew that I loved Bella too much. But she loved me too much, as well. And besides, my willpower had turned out to be quite limited. I knew now that I would never have been able to stay away. All the heartbreak would have been useless in the end, because I would have come crawling back to her in a matter of months, or the second Alice said it was safe. I shuddered to think what I would have come back to.

Was Bella angry with me, for what I had done? I thought about waking her up, but she looked exhausted. And Bella _did_ have a tendency to talk more in her sleep when she was exhausted… I spent the rest of the night watching her intently, hoping for a few words, one word, anything that would give me a clue as to what she was dreaming about. Was she angry? Was she still frightened? Was she deliriously happy?

She never spoke. Around sunrise, I blew out my breath in frustration, and focused my gift on her mind again. I gritted my teeth with the strain, focusing as I had never done before. I just _had_ to read her mind! Inspired by the relief of our reprieve, my love and obsession were growing yet again, and my inability to hear her thoughts was the most maddening it had ever been. I opened my eyes, staring at her forehead as I continued my effort. Come _on_!

My head started to hurt, and I finally released her, falling back onto the floor in exhaustion. I had gotten nothing, of course. I felt unusually disappointed this time, though; I supposed that I had thought the extra love would somehow give me some kind of boost and I would finally hear something. I idly wondered if I would be able to hear Bella's mind if she were to become a vampire. The answer would depend on the reason for Bella's mental silence. If it was due to some kind of malfunction- some birth defect, or mild brain injury from childhood- then the damage would repair itself upon her transformation. On the other hand, if this was actually a latent manifestation of a supernatural ability, then I really had no hope of ever hearing her; the talent would only become stronger.

The more important question was, would I ever find out? _Would_ Bella finally become one of us? The arguments hadn't changed, but the situation had. Charlie knew the truth now. I had been so wrapped up in my conversation with Bella yesterday that I hadn't heard the entirety of his conversation with Carlisle. Had my father explained how vampires are made? Would Charlie's piecemeal understanding of Bella's situation lead him to ask the inevitable question of my final intentions? Was I _ready_ to answer that question?

The events of the past ten days had convinced me that changing Bella was the only _safe_ thing to do. There was no telling what disasters waited on the horizon; if there were any out there, Bella would find them. And I wanted her for eternity, even more than I had before. But that still didn't mean that it was the _right_ thing to do.

A tiny smile curled up the corner of my mouth. I hadn't considered it until now, but I might have just gained an ally. Charlie would obviously be against his daughter joining the ranks of the undead, and Carlisle would be in no rush to antagonize him. But, of course, Charlie would also undoubtedly be against _me_ , now. He hadn't liked me _before_ he knew I was a monster.

Last night, I had carefully watched his mind when I told Bella that I would call her today. His mind had been a gelatinous swirl by that point, but I had heard his mental response loud and clear: _We'll see about that._ I had been too relieved at the moment to be bothered by his disapproval.

But now that I had time to think about it, this was a problem. A _huge_ problem. Would Charlie continue to be afraid of me, after he had had time to process everything? Or would he just be angry? I presented not only a mortal threat to him and his daughter, but I had lied constantly to him for the past several months, and now he knew it. Not exactly the way to impress your girlfriend's father. _Certainly_ not the way to earn his trust.

I supposed that there would be some sort of confrontation between Charlie and me, and soon. He would no doubt give some sort of ultimatum about me never darkening their doorway again. How would I respond? After all Bella and I had been through, I wasn't about to let Charlie come between us. But I didn't want to antagonize him, either. There was the risk of him revealing our secret, but there was also the matter of Bella's feelings. She loved her father. What would happen to their relationship if he forbade us to be together?

There were two possibilities. It would drive an impossible wedge between them, and Bella would eventually need to move out of his house. I hated this possibility because I _wanted_ Bella to have Charlie in her life. I also hated it because this scenario would likely drive Bella to want to be changed even sooner. If she was at odds with Charlie and moved out, she would obviously want to live with us- not exactly a good idea while she was still human.

The other possibility, of course, was that we would continue with the subterfuge. Bella would stay on good terms with Charlie, and keep seeing me behind his back. This was better in terms of her staying human, and in terms of her and Charlie's relationship. The trouble was that it would make Bella _herself_ miserable. The lies would have to triple overnight, and it would be quite difficult to hide our continuing romance, especially when school began again. Forks was a small town, and Charlie knew everything that went on in it. How could Bella and I possibly keep up the charade when we were at school together? One slip and Charlie would know he was being lied to again.

I ran my fingers through my hair, growling in frustration. Neither of those outcomes were acceptable! I didn't want Bella to suffer because of this. The only viable solution was to convince Charlie to let Bella and I stay together. Perhaps I could bring Carlisle in on the conversation; he was good at this sort of thing. His vast experience and cool head made him a natural diplomat.

Or maybe diplomacy wouldn't be enough. Maybe I would just _threaten_ Charlie. I could tell him that I loved Bella, and that I would continue seeing her no matter what he thought of it. I was a vampire, and he was a human; if he knew what was good for him, he wouldn't get in my way. Playing off his fear would be a simple matter, especially if I got Jasper to help me; I had no doubt that he would enjoy himself.

I shook my head, smiling at the ridiculous thought. I could stalk into his office when he was alone, sitting at his desk. I almost laughed aloud as I imagined towering over him, my hands on his desk as I leaned forward, baring my teeth as I delivered my threat. I couldn't deny that this option wasn't attractive. But it _was_ ridiculous, and not only because I would never be able to pull it off with a straight face. It would place us all in grave danger, if it didn't kill Charlie outright. No matter how determined he was to protect our secret, he wouldn't be able to contain himself if he thought I was really that dangerous. And Carlisle would be _furious_. Oh, well. Back to the drawing board.

Maybe I could twist the truth just enough so that Charlie would let his guard down for a while. Over the past week and a half, Bella and I had been pretending that we were "cooling off", as he put it. Maybe we could keep it up. Maybe Charlie would let us stay together if he thought that the romance was winding down, anyway. After all, he knew Bella as well as I did; surely he knew how poorly she responded to ultimatums.

Yes, this was the answer. Play it cool. I would apologize for all my lies, emphasizing that I had been obliged to protect my family's secret. Perhaps I would throw in a little remorse over my relationship with Bella. What business did a vampire have, dating a human, anyway? I wouldn't tell him that I was breaking it off, just that I was unsure whether it was a good idea. I would tell him that I wouldn't want to hurt Bella's feelings – I did care about her, after all. I could give him some vague promise about "seeing where things led" or "if it's meant to be, it will work out", or some other nonsense that the passive young men of today were using. It would make him relax, as well as deflect any concern about Bella's mortality. Bella would have to lie about how often she was really seeing me, but it was better than _always_ lying. Charlie would eventually realize that I hadn't meant it, but by that time, he would be more accustomed to his discovery, and less likely to demand my immediate departure.

The more I thought about this plan, the more I liked it. Bella would require some coaching, but I thought she would go for it, once I explained the alternatives. Perhaps I could get Carlisle to back me up. I got out my new phone, opening a new text to Alice. I decided my course, and typed one character: a question mark. This was my shorthand way of asking Alice to check on any decision I felt needed scanning. I sent the text, waiting anxiously for the result as I glanced over at Bella. She was beginning to stir, and I wanted to be able to explain the plan to her before Charlie woke up. Finally my phone buzzed, and I received my answer:

:P

I rolled my eyes. Ever since we had begun texting, Alice had been having a love affair with emoticons. I had pointed out that vampires had no need of shorthand, or of adolescent trends. I had pointed out that she could type an entire sentence in the time it would take a human to "draw" a smiley face. But Jasper had foolishly told her that she was cute when she did it, and the habit had stuck. So, what did ":P" mean? Was she sticking out her tongue in disgust at my foolish plan? Or was she so uninterested that she wasn't bothering to answer me properly? I decided to write back "In English, please." Not needing to actually write it out, I waited for her response, which came in less than two seconds.

_It means, you'll see. Have fun!_

I frowned. Have fun? What kind of game was she playing? How was manipulating Bella's father _fun_? Did she think I was _enjoying_ this? I hated it! I hated that the lies would have to continue. I hated that I would never be able to earn Charlie's trust. I hated that I wasn't human, and that this wasn't 1918. I hated that I couldn't show up on his doorstep in my Sunday best, asking his permission to court his lovely daughter. I hated that I would never sit on Bella's porch swing with her, getting to know her under her father's watchful eye. I hated that I would never get to call on him at work, fingering my hat nervously in my lap while I asked for his daughter's hand in marriage.

I typed furiously. _You're being the opposite of helpful. When exactly am I supposed to have "fun"?_

The instant my text was sent, I received my reply:

_15 sec._

_That_ got my attention, and I sat up fully. What was going to happen in fifteen seconds? I realized with a jolt that while I had been plotting, Charlie had woken up and was stumbling around in the kitchen, making his coffee. I jumped into his mind, cursing again his tendency to think with pictures instead of words. He was picturing his desk at the Police station. There was nothing significant about _that_. What was Alice getting at? I picked up my phone again,

_Okay. You can do this, Charlie. You're her father. It's your responsibility._

I jumped back into his mind, watching through his eyes as he picked up the phone and dialed my home number.

"Hello?"

Charlie swallowed. "Good morning, Dr. Cullen."

"Ah, Charlie! I hope you got a good night's sleep. Last night was quite an adventure, wasn't it?"

"Yeah. Actually, I was hoping to speak to Edward. I was going to ask if he was up yet, but I guess that's kind of silly. Can I speak to him, please?"

I froze. My pocket buzzed, and I took out the phone, to find another text from Alice:

_Ha ha ha!_

I rolled my eyes again. Maybe she wouldn't be laughing if her entire closet were to "accidentally" go up in flames.

_You wouldn't dare!_

I snapped the phone shut, focusing on Charlie's mind again in order to hear my father's answer.

Carlisle hadn't missed a beat. "You're right," he laughed. "Vampires don't sleep- that's one of the myths that is actually true. But we do take showers, however. Can I have him call you back?"

I blew out the breath I had been holding. I hadn't been worried- Carlisle had centuries of lying under his belt- but I was going to have to climb onto the roof if I was going to "call him back". Thank God Charlie had never felt like paying for Caller ID.

"Nah, that's okay," Charlie answered. "Just have him meet me at the station. I'd like to have a little talk with him about… all this."

By the delay before Carlisle answered, I knew that Alice hadn't told him about this, either. "I understand. But are you sure the police station is a good place? Wouldn't you like to meet him somewhere a bit more… private? Remember what we said about discretion, Charlie."

Charlie checked the clock on the microwave. "Nope, it's fine. Nobody but me will be there for at least two hours. That's why I called so early. Well, that, and I knew that I wasn't waking anyone up."

"All right, I'll have him leave as soon as he can."

"Thanks." Charlie hung up the phone, chugging the rest of his coffee and heading out the door, pausing only a moment to grab his gun belt. He wondered what would happen if he shot me. _Probably bounce right off_ , he thought bitterly. _There goes that solution._

I swallowed nervously. I should have been paying more attention when he first woke up; it appeared that I wasn't the only one who had been mulling over "solutions." What solutions had _he_ been considering? If shooting me was one of them, I wasn't sure I wanted to hear any of the others. I followed his thoughts as long as I could, but he was just picturing me sitting in front of his desk, and trying to decide what to say first to me. He clearly wanted to put me on the defensive as soon as I arrived.

I stood, walking over to Bella's bed to wake her up. It wouldn't do to arrive at the Police Station _too_ quickly. I wanted to explain my plan to Bella before I left so that she would be able to play along the next time she talked to Charlie.

But as I stretched out my hand to wake her, my phone buzzed again, and I opened it impatiently. What meaningless symbols would Alice be sending this time?

_You need to change first._

I checked my clothing, and peeked over in the mirror hanging on Bella's bedroom door. Sure enough, both my clothes and my hair were still coated with drywall dust, and there were a couple streaks of white paint on the side of my shirt; courtesy of Emmett, no doubt. I sighed and glanced back at Bella. No time for that, then. I quickly ripped a page out of a notebook on her desk, jotting down a note for her to find.

_Everything is all right with the wolves. I'll be back as soon as I can._

_With all my love, Edward_

I folded the note into a tiny heart and laid it gently in her hand. I hated to be gone when she woke later. We still needed to finish our conversation from yesterday, and I still needed to apologize for deceiving her. I wasn't exactly looking forward to _that_ conversation, either.

.

.

.

As soon as I entered the house, I frowned at Jasper, who was sitting on the living room floor, surrounded by twisted metal and wires.

"Where's Alice?" I asked impatiently, stepping over a length of wire. "I need to talk to her."

He shrugged. "She's keeping away until you leave again. Something about keeping you in suspense."

I scowled down at him. "And _you_ don't know anything?"

"Nothing. You know how she is when she gets in these Smug-Psychic moods."

"Fine." I flew upstairs to take a quick shower, throwing on the first clothes I could find. In less than three minutes I was zooming down the highway in the Volvo; there was no point in keeping up the charade of being grounded from driving now.

I parked in a spot that was visible from Charlie's office window, and I made sure that he saw me walking in, hoping to get him thinking so that I would see where he was headed. But he was still continuing his pep talk from earlier.

_Okay, there he is. You can do this. You're her father, and you love her. This is what's best for her._

I was flying blind, then. I knew nothing terrible was going to happen, or Alice wouldn't be enjoying herself so much. Still, I felt nervous as I opened the door, crossing the empty reception area to Charlie's closed door. I had my plan, but I wasn't entirely happy with it. Charlie _had_ done our family a great service yesterday. He didn't _deserve_ to be lied to. And the fact remained that no matter how impossible, I still coveted his trust and approval.

I took a deep breath and knocked.

.

.

**A/N: This chapter came out of nowhere and wrote itself. Hope you enjoyed! And I'm still hoping someone will give me a good idea for an epilogue. Please? I have a possibility, but I'd like some other ideas, too.**


	35. Resolutions

**EPOV**

"Come in, Edward."

I opened the door to find Charlie seated at his desk, a chair ready for me opposite him. If I hadn't been so nervous, I might have laughed at the sense of déjà vu that both of us were obviously feeling. I had sat in that very chair last week, defending myself against Charlie's suspicions. Things would be very different this time. For one thing, Charlie knew now that almost everything I had said the last time I was here had been a lie. But another difference was even more obvious: it was earlier in the day this time, and the morning sun was slanting into the room. There was a huge patch of sunlight blocking my path to the chair. Charlie had opened all the shades as widely as he could, and as he saw my reaction, he grinned smugly. I could walk around the sunbeam, but-

_Carlisle said it wouldn't work, but... wonder if he'll avoid the light._

I smiled pleasantly, accepting his silent challenge; if this was the best he could do to intimidate me, then maybe I had been worrying over nothing. I walked slowly toward the chair, pausing to let the sunlight catch me. The walls immediately lit up with thousands of specks of light, and Charlie's eyes grew to twice their normal size as he stared at me, then at the walls, and then back at me again. I continued walking, exiting the sunbeam, and sat down.

Charlie leaned back in his chair, giving a low whistle. "Well, that's… not what I expected," he muttered.

"We don't burn in the sunlight. That's a myth," I offered as cheerfully as I could. He just scowled.

We sat in awkward silence for a moment while Charlie fantasized about me bursting into flames. The image had a humorous, comic-book-like tone to it; it was obvious that he hadn't really been trying to hurt me.

"My father said you wanted to speak with me, sir."

"Yeah. Thought it might be best if you and I could have this little talk alone, considering the circumstances." He paused, leaning forward and folding his hands on the desk as he continued his mental pep talk to himself. I didn't need Jasper to see that he was at least as nervous as I was.

I cleared my throat. "I'd like to say something first, if I may."

Charlie nodded, relieved that he didn't need to begin the conversation.

"I want to offer my apology. On behalf of my whole family, but especially for myself. I want you to know how sorry I am for all the lies. They were necessary, as I'm sure you understand, but we don't enjoy deception."

Charlie nodded again, but his expression didn't soften. "Well, they're not necessary _anymore_ , are they?"

"No, sir." I hated that this was a lie, as well. But how _much_ I had to lie would be up to Charlie; this was his show. I had my plan ready, if necessary. He was less hostile than I had expected, and I would be as truthful as I could.

"So, I'd like to hear the truth now, about all the times that Bella got hurt."

I told him everything, beginning with the van incident. When I had finished, he just rubbed his chin thoughtfully. "I suppose the polygraph wouldn't work," he said sadly.

I finally allowed myself a smile. "No. I don't even have a pulse. That's why I had to leave so quickly the last time I was here."

He sat up more fully. "You mean your mom's car accident wasn't real either?" I just shook my head. He slapped his knee. "I _knew_ it!" he said triumphantly.

"But there is one thing I wasn't lying about before," I said, my smile fading. "You asked me if Bella and I were sleeping together. I told you we weren't, and that was the absolute truth. I would never dishonor Bella in that way, sir."

 _Hmm. I think I actually believe him this time. Interesting._ "Stop calling me sir," he growled.

"I'm sorry, s... Charlie," I said. "But I really _was_ born in 1901. Sometimes I still find it difficult to adapt to the conventions of this era. I was raised to be a gentleman. And I'm not saying that young men were perfect back in my time. But I absolutely do not agree with the cavalier approach that most of my human peers bring to what they call 'dating'. I hold Bella's virtue to be most sacred." _And her life, as well._

"Well said," Charlie grudgingly replied. I had never been so carefree in my speech with him before; this was the first time I had allowed myself to speak to him without the teenage mask. It would be nice not to have to do that anymore, at least. "Here's the thing, kid. Uh, Edward." _Kind of stupid calling him kid, now. He could be my grandfather._ "The reason I called you here today is because I want to talk about Bella's… future."

I nodded, swallowing nervously. I was ready for him.

"Bella was in a hurry to get over to your house last night. And things were a little awkward on the way home. We didn't get to talk much. But she did say that now that I knew the truth, that I would be able to get to 'know you better'." He waved his fingers in the air as he quoted her. "And I want you to know that… I'm okay with that. So, in other words, I'm willing to start over, if you are."

I blinked, not comprehending his words. "I'm sorry… I'm a little confused. You're not angry with me?"

He grunted. "I didn't say _that_. I said I'm willing to give you a second chance. It's obvious that you guys aren't, uh, evil. And Bella _has_ been happy, being with you. But there are some things I'd like to know, now that you're able to tell the truth."

My head was spinning. Was this really happening? Was this some kind of trick? But Charlie's mind was a perfect echo of the words he had just spoken. I saw no indication that he wanted me out of Bella's life. In fact, there was a hopeful tone to his thoughts, and he was nervously working up to his first question. I saw what it was two seconds before he asked it: he wanted to know how much I loved Bella. And I would get to answer him honestly! I was so relieved that, for the second time in as many days, my idiotic plans had come to nothing. Alice must be laughing her head off.

"All right. My first question is, do you love my daughter?"

I leaned forward eagerly, finally allowing him to see the intensity in my eyes. "I love her more than my own life. My own existence, I mean. Both Bella and I have tried to keep up appearances for your sake, but the bond we share is not as…" I searched for the right word, a way to tell him how different Bella and I were from other teenage couples. "Listen, Charlie. Love is different for my kind. It's eternal, and absolutely unbreakable. When two vampires fall in love, they are irrevocably changed forever. And I had never felt that supernatural change before I met Bella, but I had seen it, in my parents' marriage. The love that I feel for Bella far surpasses that which a human man would be capable of feeling."

"But she's human," Charlie interrupted. "You said, 'when two vampires fall in love'."

"Yes, and that is the most surprising thing of all," I replied, smiling at Charlie's silent fascination with the change in my speech pattern. "I hadn't known that this was possible between a vampire and a human. But the change in my own heart is unmistakable. And even more incredible is that fact that Bella seems to love me in the same way. I didn't see it at first, because I couldn't believe that it was possible. But now I know that her love is just as strong, as unbreakable as my own. We are meant to be together, and we _must_ be together. It's not a choice anymore, Charlie. For either of us."

I watched his thoughts eagerly as he processed what I had just told him. Had I said too much? I worried that in my excitement to finally tell him the truth, I had been perhaps too forthcoming, too intense. But Charlie just rubbed his chin thoughtfully. "That's good," he said to himself.

Good?

"Okay," he said, licking his lips. Sweat began to form on his forehead, and I frowned in confusion. Where was he going with this? His thoughts were a maddening swirl of images, flipping so fast that even I couldn't follow along.

"Okay," he said again. "If all that is true, then does this mean that you're going to… you know, make her like you?"

I froze, my mind racing. I hadn't expected this question to come so soon, and I wasn't prepared to answer it _myself_ , much less to form the necessary lie to keep Charlie unaware of the danger that his daughter was in. I supposed I could deflect the question with an honest answer: that it was what _Bella_ wanted. It wasn't a lie, and it didn't betray my own intentions.

"That's what Bella wants," I said slowly.

Charlie frowned. "You say that like it's not what _you_ want." _What happened to all that eternal love stuff? Doesn't it mean that he wants to be with her forever?_

Of course I wanted her forever. And I had actually been willing yesterday, just for one desperate moment, when I had thought that changing Bella would allow her to escape with us. But then I had swung the other way, convincing myself that not only was it wrong to change Bella, but that it was wrong for me to contaminate her life any longer. And for one hundred and thirty-six horrible minutes, I had truly believed that I would never see her again. My cursed existence had stretched before me, an endless horizon devoid of light. But then Bella's ingenuity, and my own weakness, had relieved my torment. And now, having lived through the briefest of separations, I knew in the depths of my being that I could never be parted from her again.

But in terms of Bella's mortality, nothing had changed. I still had the same objections, and she and my family still had their reasons. Carlisle's ultimatum would stand, though the timeline would likely be delayed, with the new complication of Charlie's knowledge. The only difference now was that I loved Bella even more than before, and I finally understood the strength of _her_ love. Every instinct was screaming that I should change her myself, before Carlisle had a chance to intervene. But I was still fighting those instincts. It was a losing fight, but a fight nonetheless. I _had_ to keep fighting, as long as Bella's heart was beating.

And then I saw it.

The image rose to the front of Charlie's mind, rising above the maelstrom of thoughts. Bella, as an immortal. Her skin pale and shimmering, her eyes a soft, golden hue. Nothing I hadn't imagined before. But in this picture, Bella was smiling and carefree. I was standing next to her, watching her with the awe and love as I shimmered alongside her. At first I didn't understand what I was seeing. There was a landscape behind us, flipping between a grassy green and winter snow at lightning speed. Winter, summer, winter, summer. It was the change of seasons, I finally realized. Charlie was imagining Bella and I living forever, and the changing scenery was the meaningless passage of time, the years unable to alter our smiles as they flew by.

He wanted this.

Charlie _wanted_ me to change Bella.

He noticed my hesitation, frowning and bringing his thoughts to the surface. _He has to. It's what she wants. It's the answer I was never looking for. She'll be safe forever. She'll be happy forever!_

I couldn't believe this. I could never, in a million years, have predicted this. Bella's father knew what I was, and he wasn't ordering me away. In fact, he was doing the exact opposite; he wanted me to change his daughter into a vampire! I suddenly remembered having a similar reaction to Bella when she had learned the truth about me. Her responses had never been predictable, either. In fact, they had always been the opposite of what I had expected. It appeared that her father was full of surprises, as well.

"It's not that I don't… want it," I replied carefully. "In some ways, I want that more than anything. I want Bella at my side for eternity. But I don't want this life for Bella herself."

"Why not?" he demanded. "It's what she wants, and you guys seem to live pretty normal lives, aside from all the lies, and the sunlight thing, and the moving."

I hesitated before answering. I had come here today, hoping to reassure Charlie about us, about me. My greatest hope as I had been driving over here was that I could get Charlie to continue allowing Bella and me to "date". But he had exceeded my expectations, and now I was in the middle of a conversation that I had hoped wouldn't need to happen for a long time. If Bella found out that her father was in favor of her transformation, she would ask Carlisle to do it much sooner, and he would agree. I felt a growing sense of panic. I had thought that Charlie was going to be on _my_ side! Perhaps we had been _too_ reassuring yesterday.

"Charlie, I don't think you're fully aware of what we _are_ ," I said stiffly. "What my family does isn't _easy_. We constantly thirst for human blood. The animal diet never fully satisfies us, and sometimes, we make mistakes. People have died. Can you honestly tell me that you want that for your daughter?"

"Have _you_ made mistakes?" he challenged immediately.

"No, I haven't. But that doesn't mean it's not difficult."

His eyes narrowed. "So, you've never once killed a human being?"

I bit my tongue, cursing my eternal adolescence. When was I going to learn to think before I spoke? Of course Charlie's inquisitive nature would lead him to ask that question, once I got him on the topic of murder. I knew that if I chose to lie about this, that he would believe me. But I felt an inexplicable desire to be tell him the truth; if I was ever going to truly have his trust, I would need to. And, besides, if I had any hope of swaying Charlie to my point of view, I had to be honest here.

"I have. Back in 1927, I left my family and spent four years alone, hunting humans."

Charlie's face reddened, but he just nodded. "How many?"

"Nine hundred and thirty-seven."

Charlie's mind did a back flip. A horrible picture arose in his thoughts: he was imagining me slaughtering a man in a dark alley, my mouth pressed to his neck. I shuddered internally at the accuracy of the image, and at the memories that it stirred up in my own mind.

"I only killed criminals," I continued quickly. "I thought that if I was only consuming those humans who deserved to die anyway, that I wasn't doing anything too terrible. But I was deluding myself, and after a while, the guilt drove me to repent. I returned to my family in shame, and they forgave me." I looked back up, meeting his eyes. "What I did back then was wrong, Charlie. It was the worst thing I have ever done, and I haven't spoken about it to anyone in years, except for Bella. And believe me, I could have lied to you about it now. But I want you to understand the darkness that is in our hearts. Before you say that this is what you want for Bella, I need you to understand what kind of life she would be entering."

I held my breath while Charlie processed my words. I couldn't believe them myself. I had just told him the one thing that I had hoped he would never find out! Why hadn't I just given him some of the _other_ reasons for not wanting to change Bella? Had I just destroyed the fledgling trust that he had been ready to give me?

"So… after you stopped..."

"Never," I said firmly. "I haven't killed a human in seventy-four years, and I never will again."

Charlie leaned back in his chair, staring at me. _Jacob wasn't kidding when he said this stuff was outside the scope of the law. It's awful, but… how can you blame a vampire for wanting to… drink his natural food source? At least he stopped- that must have been hard to do. I wonder if Bella will want to kill people, too._

"Of course she will," I snapped. As soon as the words were out of my mouth, I flinched.

Charlie's heart skipped a beat. _How did he…_

"Look, Charlie," I said with a sigh," As long as I'm being brutally honest, you might as well know this, too. You already knew about Alice's talent, but I have one as well. I can read minds. Well, everyone's but Bella's, that is. Your mind is also a bit difficult for me, but I can hear most of your conscious thoughts."

_Whoa… so you can… hear this right now?_

I nodded.

 _Well, that's just… weird._ He stared at me, and I smiled hesitantly back at him, shaking my head in disbelief. This seemed to shock him more than the part about hunting humans! Charlie was even more like Bella than I had realized. He truly hadn't been surprised when I had admitted to my rebellious years- in fact, he had almost seemed to expect it. He looked me straight in the eye. _So then you know that I still want Bella to become like you._

"Yes, I can see that, although I'm a little surprised. You just said- well, thought- that Bella would want to kill humans. And she would, Charlie. I would do everything in my power to help her resist, but she would always feel the desire to drink human blood. It's my personal belief that our souls don't even survive the transformation process."

"And… that's why you don't want her to be like you?"

"Yes."

"But it's what _she_ wants."

"Correct."

"So, she's made her choice, and I've given you my blessing. Will you do it or not?"

I shifted uneasily in my chair. Now that Bella's own father thought that changing her was the right thing to do, my own arguments were beginning to look even weaker. In the short time that Charlie had known that immortality was possible, he had already decided that Bella was meant to have it. Besides myself, he was the one person responsible for Bella's welfare, and I knew that he took that responsibility seriously. And _this_ is how he had decided to secure her future. Once I had admitted that Bella wanted to be changed, that had been enough for him. It had obviously been a simple decision on his part.

 _Was_ it really that simple?

I flew through my arguments again. I had already discounted my fear that Bella would come to resent me for the loss of her humanity; she deserved better than that. I also had to discount the argument that she would miss out on so many human experiences; we had established by now that Bella was such a disaster magnet that she would no doubt miss out on some of those things on her own. Then there was the argument that my obsessive love wasn't the kind of thing that Bella needed for the rest of eternity; but that had to be discounted, as well. Last night had shown me that Bella was quite capable of both handling and returning that intensity of love. And now, I had to discount the excuse that she would have to say goodbye to her father. There was no reason now why Charlie couldn't continue to be a part of Bella's life after she was changed.

That left me with only one objection, but the biggest one of all: the matter of Bella's soul. There was no point in trying to rehash the theology again; Carlisle and I had talked ourselves in circles on numerous occasions. I wondered what Charlie would think of those conversations; they probably wouldn't interest him much. He obviously thought that Bella had the right to choose whether or not to risk her soul for me.

Really, he would say the same for all of my objections. That in each situation, Bella should have the right to decide her own fate.

That it was her choice.

I had always imagined Bella as being so fragile, and as I had grown to love her, I had begun to think of her as my crystal angel; so beautiful, so precious, and yet so breakable. I had taken on the role of her protector. I had always known that my love for Bella held a chauvinistic quality; I could blame my early-1900s upbringing, or my vast experience and knowledge. But whatever the reason, the truth was that I had always felt that I knew what was best for her, even if she didn't agree with me. And so when she made it clear that she wanted to be like me, I had shaken my head, clutching the crystal angel to my chest, protecting her from herself. And the more my love grew, the more tightly I clutched her. I cherished my angel so much that I had never been willing to let her fly.

I looked again at the man sitting across from me. He loved Bella more than anyone did, besides myself. But his love had driven him the opposite way. He saw the choice that she had made, and, _because_ he cherished her, he wanted to honor her choice. Even after my confession, he was _still_ willing for Bella to become like me. In his eyes, loving Bella meant setting her free.

This is what it boiled down to, then: did I love Bella enough to stop worshipping her, and start listening to her?

I closed my eyes, searching every corner of my heart. I _did_ love her enough.

As soon as he saw the smile spread over my face, Charlie relaxed. "I will," I announced, opening my eyes again. The words tasted odd in my mouth; until this moment, I had sworn I would never say them. But I meant them now.

"Okay," Charlie said shakily. "Okay. But there's no rush, right?" _I'm not ready yet. I want to see her graduate high school. And I want her to have time to think about it, and to make sure this is what she really wants._

"I think that would be best, as well. But, like you said, it will be Bella's choice." As I said the words, I felt freedom shoot through my heart. From now on, it would always be her choice. I hoped Bella would honor Charlie's request to wait until after graduation; I wasn't in a hurry to see her heart stop beating. But I would stop trying to change her mind, and I would give her my blessing as well. I didn't _need_ to fight anymore.

.

.

.

**BPOV**

I slowly stirred awake, stretching and feeling Edward's coldness next to me. The events of last night rushed back into my head, and I jerked awake fully, to find him sitting on the edge of the bed next to me. His eyes were still black with thirst, but he looked so much more relaxed than he had last night.

"Good morning," he whispered, leaning down to kiss my forehead. "Alice said you would be waking up now, so I have breakfast ready for you downstairs."

"The wolves?" I asked anxiously.

"Everything is fine. Jacob phased again, and he was able to communicate with the rest of the pack. He learned that he was actually meant to be the Alpha, because of his lineage."

"So, Jacob's in charge of the pack now?" It was odd to think of Jacob being in charge of _anything_ \- although I supposed he had aged quite a bit overnight.

"He's not sure he wants to assume command right now, but he did use his Alpha status once," Edward explained. "He's reinstated the treaty- until June, at least."

"That's great! Have you been here all night?" I asked. Before Edward could answer, my stomach began rumbling.

"I'll explain everything. But first let's feed the human," he teased. He picked me up and swung me around before darting down the stairs at vampire speed.

"You're in a good mood today," I laughed as I sat down. The kitchen smelled _wonderful_. Edward sat a plate in front of me, overflowing with hot pancakes, scrambled eggs and fruit.

" _You_ made this?" I asked, poking at the food.

He sat down beside me. "Yes," he said uncertainly. "I hope it tastes all right; I was holding my breath the whole time I made it."

I took a cautious nibble of a pancake; it was, of course, the best I had ever tasted. "Why does everything you do have to be perfect?" I sighed.

Edward's hopeful smile faded. "I'm far from perfect."

I rolled my eyes. "So am I. I thought we established that last night."

He picked up my hand, the one nearest him. "Bella, can you ever forgive me for what I did last night? For lying to you?"

My fingers stiffened in his cold hand. I had spent most of the silent ride home with Charlie thinking about this. "It wasn't the lie that was so bad," I said slowly. "It was how you decided everything without me… again." I held my breath, waiting for his answer. I had spent at least an hour last night deciding whether I should say that last word.

"Yes, I know," he said quietly. "I have a tendency to… do that. Would you believe me if I said I'm going to try to listen to you from now on?"

I just nodded and laid my head on his shoulder.

"Beginning," he continued after a moment, "with your transformation."

I jerked away from him, staring in disbelief at his face. "You… you're okay with that now?"

His eyes lightened a bit as he smiled. "Let's just say that I've been listening to a very wise friend."

"Carlisle finally won you over?"

"No… I wasn't referring to my father. I was referring to yours."

I frowned. "Charlie? Okay, you've officially lost me."

"Charlie and I had a talk this morning at the Police Station. He had some questions for me, and it went rather well. He _wants_ me to change you, as long as you're completely sure it's what you want."

I stopped chewing. "I… that's… surprising."

He chuckled. "I thought so, too. I went over there expecting him to order me out of your life forever. Not that it would have stopped me," he added, brushing my hand with a kiss, "but I had a whole plan ready; which... of course, I made without talking to you first."

"Of course," I said drily. "So what convinced you to join the 21st century all of a sudden?"

"I said I would _try_ ," he warned with a smirk. "Anyway, Charlie already suspected that we might have some sort of … long-term plan. And when I told him that it was what you wanted, he was sold. He _likes_ the idea of you being safe and happy forever. So, naturally, I argued. I told him what bloodthirsty, soulless creatures we are; I even told him about my rebellious years. But he still wanted it, after I promised to keep you away from the delicious humans. Apparently he seemed to think that loving you meant honoring your decision."

"What a novel idea," I said nervously.

"Yes, it is, for me," he admitted. "Like I said, I'm going to _try_."

"So, if I wanted to go down to La Push this weekend…"

He flinched, just enough for me to catch it. "Have fun," he said stiffly.

I held his gaze for a moment, and then smiled. "Maybe we'd better work up to that one," I muttered. "I do need you to accept my friendship with Jake, though."

He nodded without hesitating. "Done," he sighed. "I have to admit, we both owe that mangy-" I glared at him. "-that boy a lot," he finished.

I took a deep breath. "So, when are we doing this?"

"Charlie wants us to wait until after graduation. He needs some time to adjust, and he wants you to have plenty of time to change your mind."

I opened my mouth to protest, but I shut it again. My first thought was that waiting that long was a bad idea. But now that Edward was determined to try and listen to me, I wanted to listen to him, as well. "And you?"

He frowned. "I'm in no rush for your heart to stop beating. And I agree it's best to wait until you graduate. That way you can "survive" if you want to; Charlie could support whatever cover story we decide on. Everyone in Forks could believe that you just went away to college."

"That makes sense. There is one other thing that I want, though. I want _you_ to be the one to change me."

He reached over and traced down my cheek with the back of his hand, letting his fingers come to rest on the pulse on my neck. "I want that, too," he said quietly. "But if you change your mind, if you have any doubts at all…"

"I won't," I said firmly. "I want this, more than anything in the world. I want you, forever."

He nodded, breaking into a smile that had just a touch of sadness as he watched my pulse beat under his fingers. He lifted his eyes up to mine, and the sadness disappeared; there was only joy.

.

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**A/N: That's it for the main story... epilogue coming up soon!**


	36. Epilogue

**A/N: This is it! I've had a blast with this story, and I can't thank all of you enough for coming along with me. A couple of you have asked if there will be a sequel, but there won't be, because the major canon events will still happen. Victoria will come back with her army, and the Volturi will learn of Bella's existence through that. Edward and Bella will marry, and they will still have Renesmee. The final showdown with the Guard will still take place. The only changes now are that Edward and Bella's relationship is a bit healthier, Charlie knows the truth, and the Jacob love triangle won't be nearly as intense; I didn't have the heart to get rid of it completely.**

**I'd love to hear everyone's final comments on the story/epilogue. Enjoy the happy ending!**

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**EPOV- Eight Weeks Later**

"Safe!"

"Safe," Bella agreed.

Emmett was in Charlie's face before the rain could settle the dust. "Oh, come on!" he roared. "I tagged him a good sixteenth of a second before he touched the plate!"

Charlie folded his arms, shaking his head. "You know the rules. Humans call 'em as humans see 'em!"

Emmett glared at him for another second before Rosalie darted up behind him, kissing him on the cheek. "It's okay, baby," she soothed. "It's not his fault he's half blind." A huge crack of thunder punctuated her sentence, and Emmett finally backed away.

"Hmph."

Jasper finally got up from the ground, purposely dusting his uniform in Emmett's direction.

"All right, that's it," Emmett growled, and they were at it. Charlie backed out of the way, shaking his head as they fought, dirt and grass flying in all directions. Jasper had been purposely inflaming Emmett's anger throughout the ninth inning; he had been itching for a good fight all day.

"Boys, break it up!" Esme shouted. "You know I don't like you fighting around Charlie and Bella!"

My brothers reluctantly parted, and the game resumed. Esme had joined Carlisle's team, since Charlie and Bella were the umpires today. It was nice having my mother play, and she had surprised us all with her ferocity in center field. Her presence on Carlisle's team had made the numbers uneven, but since Jasper, Rosalie and I were the best hitters, we had agreed to keep our team the smaller one.

I stepped up to the plate, nodding to Alice, who was pitching against me. She had already struck out Rosalie twice earlier in the inning, and it was up to me to save the game; even with Jasper's home run, we were still trailing by one. Alice was playing with the different pitches in her mind, refusing to decide on one until the windup. I glanced over at the bench, smiling at Bella and her father. It warmed my heart to see them sitting together, both at ease with my unusual family, clapping and cheering for everyone. Bella's cheeks were flushed with both sunburn and excitement. Her hair had lightened even more throughout the summer, giving it a slight-

_Whoosh!_

"Strike one!" Charlie called, grinning at me. _That's what you get for gawking at my daughter. Or maybe you just stink at baseball._

I bared my teeth at him, and turned back to glare at Alice. She shrugged innocently, and decided suddenly on a curveball. The ball flew toward me and I adjusted my swing to hit it with a resounding _crack!_

I tore around the field, watching the ball as it flew into the trees. "Not bad," Charlie admitted, taking out his binoculars. Carlisle was racing through the forest, keeping pace with the ball as it began its descent a half mile away. I made it back to home plate with time to spare, kissing Bella quickly on the cheek while smirking at her father.

I switched into Carlisle's mind, watching as he reached for the ball… and caught it. I scowled, and Charlie, seeing my reaction, jumped up in triumph. "Out!" he yelled, and Esme and Emmett began cheering along with Alice, who was already in the middle of some sort of victory dance up on the mound. Carlisle reappeared, holding the ball aloft and grinning from ear to ear.

Bella ran up to me and jumped into my arms. I caught her and kissed her soundly, breaking away just as Charlie's thoughts began to get anxious. I turned to him and shrugged. "Consolation prize," I said innocently. He just shook his head and offered high-fives to the winning team.

Summer was already over, but this was the first time we had convinced Charlie to come watch "vampire baseball". He had been slowly warming up to the entire family throughout the second half of the summer, and we had already had him over a few times to the house for dinner. He had been quite taken aback to learn that my "siblings" were actually all married, but he got used to it, and Emmett and Rosalie had agreed to show some restraint in front of him.

Carlisle and Charlie had become fast friends. I was happy for my father; he had been aching for this kind of companionship for centuries. He had always been able to relax around Bella, but he had never had a close human friend of his own before. Charlie had even managed to get him out in the fishing boat once.

But the most surprising new friendship of all was Jacob and Rosalie. Jacob had assumed full Alpha status, and we had invited him and the elders over at the end of July to discuss amending the treaty again. Charlie had been invited also, serving as the unofficial representative of the town of Forks. The meeting had gone rather well; the treaty had been extended indefinitely, and in return the southern half of the treaty line had been redrawn five miles closer to our house. This was an experimental amendment, and we all hoped that the increased distance would prevent activating the werewolf gene in any other tribal members. After the meeting had finished, we had offered an exception for Jacob to visit whenever he liked, provided he called first. This way, we wouldn't get nervous every time Alice's vision went black. Jacob had agreed, and I had offered to escort him out through the garage; he had expressed an interest in checking out our vehicles. But as soon as he ducked through the garage door, he whistled, staring not at the cars but at the garage itself. He spent the next hour picking through Rosalie's arrangement of tools, manuals, and stash of parts. Rosalie, having heard us tinkering around, came in as well, angry that I had let Jacob into _her_ garage. But within two minutes, they were together under the hood of my Aston Martin, Jacob drooling in awe at the engine and the enhancements that Rosalie had made. I soon lost interest and left them alone. They were friends from that moment on, and Jacob returned occasionally, though they fought as often as they worked on the cars together. In fact, anyone who met the two of them together would probably think they were enemies; but as soon as they entered the garage, an unspoken truce went up and their shared love for all things mechanical overcame their enmity. Rosalie had even installed an industrial-strength outtake fan to help with the smell, so that she and Jacob could work side by side without snarling at each other.

Jacob had opted not to come to the game today. Between his schoolwork and his duties with the pack, he was too busy this week to do much. I certainly didn't mind his absence; although I considered him a friend now, I still didn't like the way that he thought about Bella sometimes. He was doing his best to respect our relationship, but he still quietly harbored feelings for her, and there were still some times when we butted heads.

The topic that came between us the most was Bella's change. The plan was still to wait until graduation, but the details still needed to be ironed out. Jacob was caught between a rock and a hard place, being the Alpha; he wanted relations between our species to keep improving, but he felt an instinctual aversion to the idea of us creating a new vampire. As the treaty stood now, such an act would break it. Jacob's dilemma was also complicated by his feelings for Bella, and by his respect for Carlisle. Eventually he would need to decide whether to amend the treaty to allow Bella's transformation; if he decided not to, we would have to move before doing it, and never return. The matter was further complicated by the tribal elders; they were all prepared to vote against us, but it was uncertain how much weight the Alpha's vote should hold, if not all the weight. Jacob had tried not to think about it around me at first, but sometimes seeing Bella and I together sent him over the edge, and we had almost come to blows more than once. I tried to be patient with him; after all, I did owe him a great debt. But as far as I was concerned, the discussion as over. If Bella still wanted to be changed after graduation, then she would be. Jacob still wasn't convinced that Bella knew what she was doing, and I often found myself defending her right to decide her own fate. It was rather ironic, considering I had once been her greatest opponent.

I had done my best to stick to my resolution. I had been careful to include her in any plans, and I was painstakingly honest every time she asked me what I was thinking. But when Bella made plans to go to First beach with Jacob and the pack in late July, I faltered. The thought of her being on the reservation at all was still difficult for me, and knowing that she would be literally surrounded by werewolves was just too much. And so I had done what any self-respecting vampire would do; I had gone to Charlie and begged him to forbid Bella from going. I told him every story I could think of about the wolves being unstable and dangerous, and it had worked. Bella had been furious, but with both of us against her she had finally backed down. Jacob had nearly thrown a fit, but keeping the peace was important; he merely called my phone and yelled at me for an hour.

In most other ways, though, I thought I had done a pretty decent job of respecting Bella's opinions. In response to my efforts, Bella had begun planning some of our dates, much to my delight. She had even managed to surprise me once, on our six-month anniversary. I had been planning to celebrate it on August 8th, six months after our dinner together in Port Angeles, but Bella had planned the surprise for August 3rd, which was six months after our first "lunch" at school together. She blindfolded me and led me out to her truck, and I settled in for a long drive, smugly thinking that I would be able to tell where we were going without my eyesight. I knew the surrounding roads like the back of my hand, and I would be able to use the minds of people that we passed in order to find my bearings. It wasn't that I wanted to cheat, but I wouldn't be able to stop myself.

But she had planned for that. She pulled over occasionally, driving in circles and doubling back on her route until I admitted that I was finally lost. She was playing two different audiobooks at once, using her truck's tape deck, as well as a portable CD player, insisting that I focus on both during the entire drive. She also spent the drive telling me stories about her childhood, and my mind was sufficiently occupied so that I was able to block the thoughts of anyone nearby.

When the truck stopped, she ripped off the blindfold, and I saw that she had brought us back to Ozette Lake. We were parked on the same beach that we had visited with her human friends earlier in the summer. It was exactly the same idea I had had, only I had been planning on doing it five days later. Bella told me that she had wanted to come back alone, so that she could watch me swim at vampire speed. We spent a relaxing day together, and after lunch, I finally convinced Bella to try swimming at vampire speed _with_ me. She climbed onto my back and I took off, our laughter echoing over the water. She had thought that we were going to stop at Baby Island, but I zoomed right past it, up and around into Swan Bay. I told her then that my plan had been to bring her here anyway, and that I had done some research; it turned out that Swan Bay had been named after Charlie's great-great grandfather. The swim back took considerably longer; this time I was holding Bella in my arms as I swam backwards. We watched the sun set together as we neared the beach. It was during this swim back that the epiphany had come to me: Bella and I were really going to be together forever.

During those horrible two weeks back in July, I had been so tightly wound that it had taken awhile for the truth to sink in. But that day, while I was drifting in the lake with Bella in my arms, it had finally hit me. Later that night, I had gone through my mother's jewelry box, finding the item that I wanted. It was my mother's ring, its oval diamond surrounded by tinier ones, all bound together with gold filigree. I had stared at it for a good three hours, as daydream upon daydream broke over me; then I slipped it into my pocket. I'd been carrying it every day after that, wondering when the right moment would be.

"I said, earth to Edward!" Charlie yelled in my ear. I snapped out of my memories and looked at him.

I didn't have the ring with me today. Alice had insisted that we wear our uniforms, which didn't have pockets; I also didn't want to risk damaging the ring, what with the violence of sliding onto the bases. I felt incomplete without it. I hadn't worked up the nerve to say anything to Bella yet, but it had been growing heavier in my pocket with each day that I waited. But today was the day; or rather, the day before the day. When I had picked up Bella and Charlie in the Jeep this afternoon, I had pulled Charlie aside, telling him that I needed to speak to him after the game.

"Yes?" I replied.

"You had something to say, remember?" _Are all vampires this forgetful?_

"Ah… yes. I'd like to speak to you… alone." I looked down at Bella, who was standing beside Charlie. Her smile turned into a suspicious frown. I turned around to where my mother was standing. "Esme, would you mind...?"

"Oh! Of course, dear. Bella, I'm taking you home today, if that's all right."

"But how?" Charlie asked. "You guys all ran here, didn't you?"

Esme just smiled at him sweetly. She turned her back to Bella and knelt, winking up at me. _Alice says the forecast still looks good._ I nodded to her slightly, and when Bella climbed up reluctantly, I leaned over to peck her on the cheek.

"I don't know what you two are plotting, but it had better not be birthday-related," Bella grumbled as she wrapped her arms around Esme's throat. I just grinned back at her, and Esme shot away, the spinning leaves the only reminder of her presence a moment ago.

"If you think I'm going to ride on _you_ like that, you've got another think coming," Charlie grumbled after we were alone.

"Relax, Charlie. We came in the Jeep, remember?" He nodded, following me back to where we had left it.

After I had checked Charlie's harness, I drove out onto the highway. It was infuriating to drive this slowly, but I was keenly aware of the policeman sitting next to me. And if there was any day where I needed to be on his good side, this was it. We rolled along in silence, Charlie wondering anxiously what it was I needed to talk about. But I didn't want to do this in the car.

"So, that was quite a game," Charlie finally said, unable to bear the silence any longer. "Don't think I'll be able to enjoy regular baseball after that."

"Actually, I think it would be more fun as a human," I replied. "Having limitations and being able to make mistakes is what provides the challenge."

"Yeah, must be awful having super-strength and speed," Charlie joked.

"It is, sometimes. When Emmett first joined our family, he kept wanting us to try various sports. But our enhanced capabilities made everything too easy. So we had to get creative."

"Any other modified sports?"

"Well… we do have a vampire version of paintball, but I don't think you should come watch that one."

"Why not?"

"Because we use real bullets."

It was silent while Charlie tried to digest this. _Why…?_

"Because paintballs move through the air too slowly; they're too easy to dodge. So Emmett modified regular bullets to carry tiny canisters of paint. It's still a bit too easy, but we manage."

"Yeah, think I'll pass on that one." I chuckled in response, and Charlie sighed impatiently.

 _Whatever it is, he's not going to say it until we get home._ "Can't this thing go any faster?" he complained aloud.

I eyed him carefully. Was this some kind of test? "I suppose it could," I said casually.

"Well, let's see. Don't worry, I'm off duty when I run with vampires," he reassured me. "I promise not to give you a ticket."

"You want me to _speed_?" I asked, wearing a shocked expression.

He glared at me. _Oh, come on. It's obvious you don't usually drive like this. Let's see what she can do._

"You asked for it," I grinned, shoving the pedal to the floor. The Jeep took off, doubling its speed in three seconds.

"Holy crow!" Charlie shouted as we passed 180. "How can you even see where you're going? There's no- Edward, look out!" He threw his arms over his face as I flung the Jeep around a sharp curve, laughing.

I slowed to a crawl as soon as the town was in sight, and glanced over at Charlie. He was holding onto the harness for dear life, and his racing pulse was making my throat ache.

"You asked for it," I repeated, calmly rolling to a stop at a red light.

"There is _no_ way a Jeep can go that fast!" he breathed, forcing his fingers out of their spasm.

"Well, Rosalie had made a few… modifications."

"Jet engines don't count as modifications," he growled back. "Don't tell me you drive like that with my _daughter_ in the car!"

I sighed; I _knew_ it had been a test. But I had never lied to Charlie since he had found out the truth, and I wasn't about to start now. "Charlie, I swear, I am the safest driver on the road," I assured him. "Not only do I have my reflexes, but I can see people in front of me even before I can _see_ them." I tapped my head for emphasis and he snorted.

"I guess this is why I was never able to catch you before," he said wistfully. _Too fast to be seen._

"No, quite the opposite," I countered. "Whenever I hear a police car up ahead, I slow down to the speed limit. Well," I added, "when I'm in the Volvo. When I'm in my other car, I just speed up. _Then_ I'm too fast to be seen."

"Your other… never mind." _I don't know how many cars you own, and I don't want to know._

We finally arrived at Bella's house, and, as we got out, I began to feel nervous again. I had risen much higher in Charlie's favor since Bella had told him everything, but even with Alice's reassurance, I was still unsure how he was going to respond tonight. He wasn't exactly _friendly_ towards me, though his gruff words usually held a tone of fondness now, instead of just tolerance. His thoughts were much more benign, except when he was thinking directly at me.

"Well, come on," Charlie mumbled, unlocking the door. _Whatever it is, let's get it over with._ _Bella will be back soon, and it's a school night._ I followed him inside and we both sat down at the kitchen table. "All right, kid. What's on your mind?"

I opened my mouth, but nothing came out. This was ridiculous! I was nearly three times as old as Charlie, and my psychic sister had already told me that he would say yes. I hadn't even been this anxious back in July, when Charlie had called me into the Police Station. I supposed that now that I finally _had_ his trust and approval, I was afraid to lose it.

I cleared my throat; a human mannerism, but it seemed to help nonetheless. _Uh oh_ , Charlie thought. _He's getting that serious look. What's wrong?_

"Nothing's wrong," I said quickly. "In fact… everything is… great. It's just that…" Unbelievable! What if I was this nervous tomorrow? "I'd like to give Bella a… certain gift tomorrow, if it's all right with you."

"Okay, that makes sense, considering that tomorrow _is_ her birthday…?" _What is he getting at? I don't care what he gives her. Get on with it!_

My fingers twitched nervously in my lap. I looked down at them and frowned, realizing that I still had my baseball uniform on. My knees were green, and there was a huge smear of mud caked over my left side. I should have done this another day, when I had dressed up, or at least been clean. And I should have asked Carlisle what to say. Not that he had ever had to do this, but-

"WHAT?" Charlie growled.

"I want to marry Bella," I blurted out. "I want to give her my mother's ring tomorrow, and ask her to be my wife. With your permission, of course. Sir."

Charlie's heart stopped for a moment, and I leaned forward, concerned. Was he going to pass out? "Charlie?"

A cold sweat broke out on his forehead and he gripped the edge of the table as his pulse resumed. "Well… didn't see that one coming," he muttered under his breath. _Marry her? As in… marry her?_

"Yes, sir."

"She's only eighteen!"

"Bella will always be eighteen, Charlie," I said quietly.

He winced slightly. The topic of Bella's change hadn't come up between the two of us since that day in the Police Station. I knew that Carlisle had discussed it with him a few times, and I often caught him thinking about it. But between the two of us, there was an unspoken rule that we didn't bring it up. It wasn't that Charlie had changed his mind, but he had been pretending that Bella's transformation was farther off than it really was; he usually thought of it in terms of "someday". This was the first time that I had dared to bring it up with him, and in such specific terms.

"I know that," he finally sighed. _And I figured you two would be… married, eventually. I just didn't think it was coming so SOON._

"The wedding doesn't have to be soon. But I would like to marry her before I change her." One of my favorite daydreams was seeing Bella walking toward me, dressed in white and clinging to Charlie's arm; my blushing bride. It was silly, but I really wanted the blushing part to come true. And then there was the _other_ daydream that I knew Bella hoped would come true before her change; but I wasn't about to discuss that with her father. I knew she didn't necessarily see marriage as a prerequisite, but this was one topic I wasn't willing to budge on. We were going to do this right.

"What about school?" Charlie asked.

"I see no reason why we can't finish high school, engaged or not. This doesn't have to change our… plan. Anyway, until Jacob makes a decision about the treaty, we can't transform Bella anytime soon."

"I know."

"So… do I have your permission?" I held my breath, waiting. I would ask Bella whether he gave his blessing or not; but I wanted it.

 _You are so old-fashioned._ "I guess so." I let out a sigh of relief and smiled.

"Are you gonna do it at the party tomorrow?"

I frowned. "What party?"

"Well, Bells said you're taking her to your house after school tomorrow. I just assumed Alice had planned some kind of shindig."

"She wanted to, but I talked her out of it."

"Why?"

I shrugged. "You know Bella. She doesn't like that kind of attention." Alice had whined to me for two days, but I had been firm. I was through pushing Bella into human experiences "for her own good". It was bad enough that I had tricked her into going to Prom when I knew she didn't want to go.

"Yeah, you're right." _I'm glad she found someone who actually listens to her. I'm glad she found… you._ Charlie coughed to recover from his sentiment, and I just smiled down at my hands, knowing I shouldn't acknowledge the compliment out loud.

"I'd like to stay to say goodnight to Bella, if that's all right."

"Sure. Wanna catch the end of the game? I mean, it's only human baseball, but…"

"You bet." I followed him into the living room, taking the end of the couch so that Charlie could have his favorite chair. The couch still bore several slashes, evidence of Jacob's first phase. I wrinkled my nose as I sat down; Bella had gotten the rest of the room disinfected, but the stuffing inside the couch cushions still carried the lingering stench of werewolf.

"So," Charlie said absently as he picked up the remote, "You think she'll say yes?"

"I honestly don't know. Alice is giving me a 63% chance as of this afternoon." This was the main reason I wanted to propose this early in the year; that way if Bella shied away at first, I would have several months to convince her.

"Hmm. Maybe I can boost that a bit."

"How?"

Charlie began focusing on the game intently. He was the only human who had ever actually tried to block me out, and he was surprisingly good at it. His usual mental fuzziness notwithstanding, the human brain was so rudimentary that dedicating all its processes to a certain stimulus was far easier than it was for a vampire. I just smiled at him, wondering.

After a couple of innings, I heard Esme calling me mentally from about a mile away. _We're back, Edward. Text me if you aren't ready for her to come in._ She waited a few moments and then sprung forward, sprinting the rest of the way to the house.

The front door opened and the downstairs was filled with Bella's fragrance. I zipped out of the living room before Charlie had a chance to blink, capturing her in a kiss before he caught up with us in the hallway.

"You won't believe how long it took to get here," Bella complained. "If I didn't know better, I would think that Esme had actually gotten _lost_."

"Well, any woman who hits a tree in her own yard is bound to get lost eventually," Charlie said imperiously. Bella looked at me, smiling only after she saw my own laughter. I had never told her that Charlie was in on that particular lie.

"So, did you two have a good _talk_?" Bella asked, glaring up at me.

"Yes, but we're finished now," I said coolly.

"Just for the record, I despise birthday parties. _And_ presents. _And_ surprises," she reminded us.

"I know," I said cheerfully.

"Don't look at _me_ ," Charlie added, resolving to unwrap the camera so it couldn't be classified as an actual gift.

I turned back to him and shook his hand. "Goodnight, Charlie."

"'Night," he muttered, heading back into the living room. _And good luck, I guess. I'll do what I can._ He focused immediately on the game, effectively occupying his mind again. I raised my eyebrows, wondering again what he was trying so hard not to plan. I had better tell Bella that I wouldn't be coming back for awhile; she always hurried upstairs when she knew I was coming.

"I meant what I said about birthdays," Bella grumbled after he was gone.

I gave her a mischievous grin. After I had convinced Alice to back off, she had agreed to my alternate plan. We were letting Bella _think_ that there was really going to be a party tomorrow; it was part of my plan. We had been dropping hints about decorations and gifts, and looking sneaky every time Bella "overheard" us.

"Be a good sport, love" I said smoothly. "It's your eighteenth birthday, after all. You can't expect Alice to sit there and do _nothing."_

"Stupid vampires," Bella muttered under her breath. I tilted her chin up, and as soon as she met my eyes, her anger melted. "You'll come up soon?" she whispered.

"No, I'll be awhile tonight. I promised Esme I'd help her with the new cabinets. Don't wait up for me."

She sighed sadly, but stood on her toes to kiss me again. "I love you," she murmured.

"As I love you."

Charlie coughed loudly from the living room. I had managed so far to avoid the question about where I usually spent my nights, but I didn't want to get him thinking about it- especially not right now.

"Charlie's getting impatient," I whispered. She nodded and went to join her father.

I was sorely tempted to stick around and hear what Charlie was going to say. But after a moment of deliberation I decided to give them some privacy. I headed home, humming my new song as I drove.

.

.

.

Bella's birthday dawned bright and sunny. I pestered Alice all morning, concerned about my plans.

"Edward, how many times do I have to tell you?" she finally shrieked. "It's going to get cloudy by eleven-thirty, and Esme will take us to school. It's not going to rain. The sun will come back out at three. The rainbow will be there at 3:55. Will you relax?"

But I was a nervous wreck. Esme eventually kicked me out of the house, worrying that I would wear a path into her new oriental carpet with my pacing. Jasper grudgingly followed me outside, settling on the lawn to read while he kept one eye on me, sending a steady stream of calm.

Finally, the clouds came to my rescue and Esme came out of the house, purse in hand and Alice in tow. "All right, kids," she said with a wink. "I think you've had enough dental work. Let's head to school."

We piled into the Mercedes and took off, my knee bouncing anxiously throughout the drive.

"Well?" I asked Alice, fingering the ring in my pocket.

She closed her eyes briefly. "Eighty-two percent."

I frowned. "It was ninety this morning. What happened?" My chance of success had jumped up suddenly around ten o'clock last night; thanks, no doubt to Charlie.

"How should I know? You wouldn't let me spy last night."

"That doesn't mean you can't spy _now_ ," I said, tapping my hand on my bouncing knee. We were well out of Jasper's range now, and I was beginning to lose my mind.

"Gee, let me check. Okay, she's sitting in class. How is that helpful?"

"It's probably because you didn't come to school yet," Esme suggested.

"But I texted her this morning. She knows we'll be late, and why," I replied. I had finally gotten Bella to let me give her a cell phone, with the promise that I _might_ get over the werewolf thing soon.

"Maybe she didn't believe you," Esme said. "Maybe she thinks you two are doing some kind of last-minute party planning."

I groaned; had I taken this plan too far?

"No, that's good," Alice said. "The more upset she gets about the party, the more relieved she'll be when we cancel it."

My knee stopped bouncing. "That's true," I admitted.

"Or maybe your chances dropped because you wore that stupid white shirt again. Of all the days to _not_ let me dress you! If we turn around now, I can-"

"Shut up, Alice."

.

.

.

After Esme dropped us off, we picked up our tardy slips and headed into the cafeteria. Bella was just sitting down with her friends, and I crept up behind her silently.

"Happy-" I began, laying my hands on her shoulders.

She tipped back her head and stared at me with pleading eyes.

-to see you, Bella," I grinned, kissing her forehead before I sat down beside her.

"Where were you guys?" Mike asked, annoyed to see me. _And why couldn't you stay there?_

"Dentist," Alice squealed as she sat down, jumping back up again immediately. "Ooh! They've got pizza today!" She scampered into the lunch line, winking mentally at me. _Now, Edward._

"Aren't you going to eat, too?" Mike grumbled.

"Not today. Fluoride makes me nauseous," I said, rubbing my stomach. Bella just rolled her eyes.

As soon as Mike and the other kids were chattering away, I turned to Bella. "Now, don't be mad…" I began.

She just dropped her head onto her folded arms. "I knew it. There's a party, isn't there?"

"Well…" I gave her my best guilty look. "Alice wanted it to be a surprise, but I wanted to ask if you minded if we invited everyone here at the table."

"I don't _want_ a party," she growled inside her arms.

I wrinkled my brow in confusion. "You really don't?"

She peeked her head up just enough to look at me hopefully. "No, I don't. And I definitely don't want anyone here knowing that it's my… you know."

"Oh." I paused for a moment. "Well, I'll talk to Alice. I can't promise anything, though. You know how she gets."

"Really?" she asked, sitting up the rest of the way.

"I'll _try._ Are you _sure_ you don't want a party?" She slapped my arm, wincing at the sting in her hand. I leaned down and kissed her palm, letting my cold mouth linger for a moment to numb the soreness.

 _Ugh, he's such a pushover,_ Mike thought disgustedly. I frowned back at him, realizing that he had actually been listening to our conversation. _If Bella was MY girlfriend, I wouldn't-_

I jumped out of his mind, focusing fully on Bella's face. I was already on edge today as it was; my mother's ring was weighing heavily in my pocket, and my brain was in overdrive. If I heard anything nasty from Mike right now, I wasn't sure I'd be able to control myself.

I decided to have my "talk" with Alice later today. It was better to let Bella sweat it out, so that she would be even more grateful later. I felt just a tiny pang of guilt, but I reminded myself that I wasn't really manipulating her; I was just _softening_ her. I nudged Alice's foot under the table, giving her a questioning look. She nodded infinitesimally, and my smile grew.

"Well?" Bella hissed, nodded toward Alice.

I leaned in to whisper. "I'd better do it later. She'll get upset, and you wouldn't want anyone to overhear the fact that it's your-"

"Gotcha. Later." She pulled out the camera that Charlie had given her at breakfast, and we all spent the rest of the lunch hour taking pictures of each other.

.

.

.

Alice and I met up after gym class, waiting until Bella came out of the locker room to have our "argument". As soon as Bella was in visual range, I leaned down to Alice's ear, whispering a bunch of nonsense. Alice bristled visibly and we chattered back and forth angrily for a moment. By the time Bella caught up to us, I was standing up to my full height, glaring down at my sister. Alice looked up at me defiantly for a moment, and then glanced back at Bella, a dramatic look of defeat spreading over her face.

"Fine," she sighed. "I'll go home and take everything down." She turned to Bella mournfully and gave her a hug. "Happy birthday," she whispered in her ear. "I was going to have a party, but you know how Edward is lately. He's all 'Bella's way or the highway'. Anyway, I love you." She gave her another squeeze.

"I'll get you back at graduation. I'm going to invite the entire senior class," she hissed at me, loud enough for Bella to hear. _And that wasn't an act. I'm really going to do it, whether you like it or not!_ I just shrugged, watching her walk away. After a few steps, she smiled. _Ninety-five percent! Good luck!_

Bella sighed in relief, digging her face into my shoulder. "Thank you. She's not mad, is she?"

"She'll get over it," I said loftily. "Come on."

.

.

.

I took her to our meadow, pretending that I had just now decided to do it instead of the party. Bella was gushing at me the whole drive, running her fingers through my hair and chattering about how sensitive I was and how glad she was to be spared the torture of getting expensive presents. I just gazed at her lovingly in response; this was working perfectly.

I carried her through the woods on my back, letting her down just before we got to the clearing. I knew she liked to watch me walk into the meadow; it always reminded her of the first time we had come here. She scampered ahead of me, sitting down and waiting expectantly. I strode into the sunlight, basking in both the warmth of the day and in her smile. I imagined her sparkling as well; that day would come soon enough. I still hoped that she would decide to wait, and give college a try first, but I wasn't going to worry about it.

I slipped my hand into my pocket, fingering the ring nervously as I crossed the clearing. Bella watched as I reached behind a tree, frowning when I took out my classical guitar case.

"When did you bring that here?" she asked.

"It's always here. The case is waterproof, and I thought it would be nice to play for you again, whenever we came here next. Besides, I have a birthday present for you- two, actually."

Her eyes narrowed in suspicion. "I thought we-"

"I didn't spend anything," I promised. "But I did write you another song." My fingers trembled as I took out the guitar, but she didn't seem to notice. She leaned back on her elbows in the grass, smiling as I began to play.

It was a contemporary waltz, in 9/8 time. I had written it using the piano last week, but it went well on classical guitar, as well. I played the melody alone the first time, adding more embellishments every time I repeated it. There were no words, but I whispered the meaning to her as I played. I told her about the image I had seen in Charlie's imagination: the two of us, immortal and happy as the years flew by past us. But as the song grew, I told her that I was picturing us spinning around in a waltz, the scenery flying in circles behind us; the growing volume and complexity of the song reflected our ever-growing love. I didn't often speak so openly of how I felt, and Bella was blushing nicely by the time the song was done. I had to end it a little earlier than planned; as the moment approached, I was growing so tense that my fingers could barely keep up with the complexity of the seventeenth verse.

I set the guitar down in the grass, and reclined on my elbows beside Bella, leaning my face back to fully catch the sunlight.

"That was so beautiful," she whispered, seemingly unaware of the tears that were threatening to spill over her cheek. I reached up and whisked them away. "And so much better than a party. I can't believe you actually canceled it for me. That was… nice."

I smiled innocently. "A few months ago, I might have gone ahead with it… like I did with Prom. You know, human experiences."

"I know. You _are_ different lately. Well, except with the werewolves." Her brow wrinkled slightly; she was obviously remembering what had happened in late July. "I still can't believe you teamed up with _Charlie_ on that one."

"Nobody's perfect," I grinned, hoping to lighten the mood. Werewolves were the _last_ topic I wanted us to be on right now.

"Well, I think he really likes you now. You should have heard him raving about you last night."

I sat up fully. "Really?"

"Yeah. I don't know what you guys talked about last night, but I've never seen him that serious before. Are you sure you weren't listening?"

I peeked at my watch: 3:53. The air was cooling slightly as the mist rolled in, seven thousand feet above us. "No, I really was at home. What did he say?"

"Oh, nothing," she said coyly.

"Come on."

"No."

"Please?" I leaned in, staring into her eyes. She took a deep breath.

"Okay. He said that he had always hoped I would find someone who was able to listen to me, and someone who was strong enough to always protect me. He said he never expected to find someone who had both those qualities, _and_ who could offer me an eternity of happiness."

I raised my eyebrows in disbelief. "Charlie said all that?"

She nodded. "I know. And he also said that he knew that he and Renee hadn't exactly gotten things right, but that he was certain it would be different with you and me. He said he couldn't be happier for us."

"Wow."

"I know, I was- oh!" her eyes flew up to the sky. "Look!"

I followed her gaze upward, smiling at the rainbow that had arrived right on schedule. "Let's see if it goes all the way to the horizon," I suggested, offering her my hand. I helped her up, smiling to myself; I had gotten her standing.

"I don't think I've ever seen one like this before," she breathed as she followed the colors down into the trees. "It's so beautiful."

"Just wait until you see one for the first time… after. There are more colors than your human eyes can see."

She leaned into me, watching the sky. "This day is perfect," she sighed.

"They're all perfect, when you're with me," I said, turning her around to face me. "And the rest of eternity is going to be perfect, because we're always going to be together. I used to actually _dread_ living forever. But not anymore." I slowly slipped my hand into my pocket, taking out the ring.

"I'd like to give you the other present now," I said slowly. My throat tightened in anxiety; was I going to be able to speak? I should have brought Jasper…

Her eyes left the rainbow and met mine. "All right," she said simply. She looked at me with such trust that my fear left me. I knew, in that moment, that she was going to say yes. I grinned from ear to ear, unable to wait any longer.

"So, I was just saying how perfect eternity is going to be… but the truth is, there's one more thing that would make it even more perfect. Something you could do for me." She waited, and I took a final breath. I sank slowly down onto one knee, feeling just one last pang of uncertainty as her breath caught in her throat. I caught her eyes with my own, silently begging her to please, please let me do this. I opened my hand, letting her see the ring. "This was my mother's ring. She said one day that she would pass it on to me, to give to the girl I wanted to marry. And I've kept it with me for eighty-seven years, waiting for you. Bella... will you do me the very great honor of becoming my wife?"

She stared at the ring while I held my breath. Then she looked back to me, and whispered one word.

"Yes."

I leapt to my feet, kissing her as hard as I dared. I felt her hot tears on my face, and pulled away to slide the ring onto her finger; a perfect fit. She turned her hand to look, and as the sunlight caught the diamonds, her face burst into a thousand sparkles of light. I caught my breath; even Alice's visions of Bella's immortal future hadn't captured her beauty like this. " _Now_ this day is perfect," I said, reaching up to touch her shining face.

She tilted her hand toward me, until the sparkles doubled the brilliance that she always loved to see on my face when we came here. Then she reached up, touching the tears that she had left on my skin.

"I love you," she said softly. "Every day of forever."

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**THE END**


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